Shelf. 


PRINCETON,    N.    J.  <J* 

Division .rrrrrrrr... 

seaio„....4f'J..'?,i.k?:?> 

'  Number 


THE 


PSALMS 


TBANSLATED  AND  EXPLAINED 


J.   A.   ALEXANDER 

PKOFFSSOR  IN   THE  THrOLOGICAL  SKMTNAKY  AT  PRIXCKTON 
THREE  VOLUMES  IN  TWO. 

VOLUME  II 

SIXTH      BDITION. 

'tmW  TORK : 
SCRIBNER,    ARMSTRONG   &   CO., 

654    BROADWAY. 

1873. 


^tered  according  to  Act  of  Couyress,  in  the  year  I860,  by 

JOSEPH  ADDISON  ALEXANDER, 

Ifl  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  United  SU-t^n   District  Court  for  the  DMrif^  d 

New  .*rsey. 


THE  PSALMS. 


PSALM    LI 


1,  2.  To  the  Chief  Musich.n.  A  Psalm.  By  David 
WTifM  Nathan  the  Prophet  came  unto  him,  as  he  (i.  e.  David) 
iad  come  unto  Bathsheha.  The  first  inscription  was  particularly 
necessary  hero,  to  show  that  the  psalm  was  designed  for  perma- 
nent and  public  use,  since  it  might  otherwise  have  been  regarded 
as  expressive  of  mere  personal  emotions.  It  has  reference  to  the 
one  great  crime  of  David's  life,  noted  as  such  in  the  inspired  his- 
tory itself  (1  Kings  xv.  5),  and  involving  the  guilt  of  both 
adultery  and  murder.  See  2  Sam.  xi  and  xii.  The  significant 
repetition  of  the  phrase  came  unto  in  v.  2  is  lost  in  the  English 
and  most  other  versions.  As  is  not  a  mere  particle  of  time, 
simply  equivalent  to  ivhcn.,  but  suggests  the  ideas  of  analogy,  pro- 
portion, and  retaliation.  The  psalm  consists  of  two  parts,  a 
prayer  and  a  vow.  In  the  first,  he  prays  to  be  forgiven  and  re- 
stored to  the  divine  favour,  vs.  3—14  (1 — 12.)  In  the  second,  he 
shows  how  he  means  to  testify  his  gratitude,  vs.  15 — 21  (13 — 19.) 

3  (1.)  Be  gracious  to  me,  (oh)  Gody  according  to  thy  mercy  ; 
flr.cording  to  the  ahundance  of  thy  compassions^  hlot  out  my  tranS' 
gressions.  In  this  verse  and  the  next,  he  ptesents  the  petition 
which  constitutes  the  theme  or  burden  of  the  j  ealm.     The  appeal 

VOL.    II.  1 


2  PSALM    LI. 

to  the  divine  grace,  mercy,  and  compassion,  mvolves  a  confession 
of  his  own  guilt  and  the  justice  of  his  condemnation.  According 
tOj  literally,  like  thy  mercy ^  i.  e.  in  accordance  with  it,  in  propor- 
tion to  it.  Here  again  there  is  a  tacit  admission  of  the  greatness 
of  his  guilt,  as  requiring  infinite  mercy  to  forgive  it.  Ahundancey 
increase,  multitude.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  Compassions^ 
tender  mercies,  a  term  expressive  of  the  warmest  and  tenderest 
affections.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  2(1.)  Blot  out,  erase,  from 
thy  remembrance.  The  allusion  is  probably  to  a  record  or  regis- 
ter of  crimes,  or  to  the  cancelling  of  accounts,  although  the 
former  seems  to  agree  better  with  ancient  and  oriental  usage. 
Compare  Num.  v.  23.  Transgressions,  or  with  closer  adherence 
to  the  primary  etymological  import  of  the  term,  revolts,  apostasies. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xix.  14  (13.)  xxxii.  1. 

4  (2.)  Thoroughly  wash  me  from  my  iniquity,  and,  from,  my 
sin  cleanse  me.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  the  infinitive  or  im- 
perative of  a  verb  meaning  to  increase  or  multiply,  but  often  used 
adverbially  in  the  sense  of  plentifully,  abundantly.  The  verb  in 
the  first  clause  properly  denotes  the  act  of  washing  the  garments, 
as  distinguished  from  that  of  bathing  the  body.  See  Num. 
xix.  19.  The  image  here  presented  therefore  is  the  same  as  in 
Jude  V.  23,  sin  being  represented  as  a  stain,  and  the  grace  o/ 
God  as  purifying  water. 

5  (3.)  For  my  transgressions  I  know,  and  my  sin  (is)  lefoi- 
me  always.  Hi.  consciousness  of  guilt  is  urged,  not  only  as  / 
reason  why  he  should  ask  forgiveness,  but  as  a  reason  why  God 
should  grant  it.  As  no  one  is  forgiven  unless  convinced  of  sin,  m 
this  conviction  constitutes  a  kind  of  claim  to  pardon,  not  as  being 
meritorious  or  intrinsically  cfiicacious,  but  as  an  indication  of  God's 
merciful  intentions,  since  conviction  and  forgiveness  are  alike  hii 
gift.  The  same  mutual  connection  of  the  two  things  is  uniformlj 
recognized  in  Scripture.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxii.  5,  and  com 


PSALM  LI.  3 

pare  2  Sara.  xii.  13.  Prov.  xxviii.  13.  1  John  i.  9.  The  future 
in  the  first  clause  is  significant.  I  know  it  and  shall  know  it ;  1 
can  never  henceforth  lose  the  sense  or  knowledge  of  it. 

6  (4.)  To  thee^  thee  only,  have  I  sinned^  and  done  the  evil  in 
thine  eyes,  to  the  intent  that  thou  mayest  he  just  in  thy  speaking, 
and  be  clear  in  thy  judging.  The  particle  at  the  beginning 
denotes  general  relation,  as  to,  or  respecting.  The  precise  rela- 
tion meant  must  be  determined  by  the  context.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  XXXV.  19,  24.  xxxviii.  17  (16.)  It  does  not  therefore  di- 
rectly and  explicitly  substitute  God  for  man  as  the  injured  party, 
which  is  the  only  sense  that  can  be  put  upon  the  English  phrase 
against  thee.  This  idea,  however,  is  undoubtedly  implied,  as 
well  as  perfectly  consistent  with  the  usage  of  the  Scriptures  in 
describing  all  sin  as  committed  against  God.  Even  murder,  the 
highest  crime  that  can  be  committed  against  man,  is  condemned 
and  punished  as  the  violation  of  God's  image  (Gen.  ix.  6.)  It 
is  also  possible  to  understand  thee,  thee  only,  as  opposed  not  to 
other  objects,  but  to  the  sinner  himself,  as  one  of  two  contend- 
ing parties.  As  if  he  had  said,  thou  hast  not  sinned  against  me, 
but  I  have  sinned  against  thee,  thee  only.  The  evil,  not  this  evil, 
which  restricts  the  acknowledgment  too  much,  but  that  which  is 
evil,  meaning  sin  in  general.  To  the  intent  that  may  have  refer- 
ence to  the  divine  purpose  in  permitting  David's  sin  to  take  this 
afTfrravated  form,  so  that  there  could  be  neither  doubt  nor  trans- 
fer  nor  participation  of  his  guilt,  and  so  that  when  God  spoke  in 
condemnation  of  it,  he  might  not  only  be,  but  appear  to  be,  en- 
tirely just.  There  is  no  need  therefore  of  adopting  the  weaker 
meaning,  so  that,  denoting  a  mere  consequence  but  not  a  pur- 
pose, or  of  supposing  the  intention  indicated  to  be  merely  that 
of  the  confession,  '  I  acknowledge  this,  that  thou  mayest  be  just, 
3tc.  Speaking,  i.  e.  spaaking  as  a  judge,  deciding,  or  more 
definitely  still,  condemning.  It  is  therefore  substantially  equiva- 
lent to  the  parallel  term  judging. 


4  PSALM    LI. 

7  {[).)  Lo,  in  iniquJy  I  was  horn^  and  in  sin  did  my  mother 
concave  me.  The  meaning  of  the  first  verb  is  determined  by  its 
use  in  Job  xv.  7.  Prov.  viii.  24,  25,  and  that  of  the  correspond- 
ing active  form  in  Job  xxxix.  1.  The  iniquity  and  sin  meant 
are  not  those  of  his  mother,  but  his  own.  Having  just  before 
confessed  his  actual  transgressions,  he  now  acknowledges  the  cor- 
ruption of  his  nature.  This  has  always  been  regarded  as  the 
locus  classicus  of  the  Old  Testament,  in  reference  to  the  doctrine 
of  original  sin. 

8  (6.)  Loj  truth  thou  hast  desired  in  the  imvard  (or  secret) 
parts^  and  in  the  hidden  (part)  wisdom  thou  wilt  malie  me  Jinoio. 
The  repetition  of  hehold  or  /o,  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence, 
seems  to  indicate  a  close  connection  with  the  preceding  verse. 
That  connection  is  most  probably  as  follows  :  '  Since  I  am  cor- 
rupted in  my  very  nature,  and  thou  canst  be  satisfied  with 
nothing  short  of  inward  sincerity,  thou  must  bestow  what  thou 
req'urest,  by  imparting  to  me  heavenly  wisdom.'  Truth^  sin- 
cerity, reality,  as  opposed  to  hypocritical  profession  or  pretence. 
The  first  verb  means  not  merely  to  desire^  but  to  will ^  as  in  Job 
xj.xiii.  32.  The  past  tense  implies  that  it  has  always  been  so, 
that  the  requisition  is  no  sudden  or  capricious  one,  but  an  eternal 
law  founded  in  God's  very  nature.  The  inward  and  hidden  parts 
are  mentioned  as  opposed  to  the  mere  outside.  Wisdom^  divine 
illumination,  without  which  no  correct  view  either  of  sin  or  holi- 
ness is  possible.  Thon  wilt  make  me  knoiOy  involves  a  prayer, 
although  in  form  it  is  an  expression  of  strong  confidence. 

9  (7.)  Thou  wilt  purge  me  ivith  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean; 
ikon  wilt  wash  me^  and  I  shall  he  whiter  than  snow.  What  he 
isked  in  v.  4  (2)  he  here  anticipates  with  confidence.  The  verb 
'.ranslatcd  purge,  is  very  expressive,  being  a  derivative  of  that 
which  means  to  dn  in  v.  6  (4)  above.  It  denotes  specifically, 
iLereforc,  purification  fiom  the  stain  of  sin,  either  by  actual  pay- 


PSALM    LI.  5 

ment  of  the  penalty  (Gen.  xxxi.  39),  or  by  vicarious  satis- 
faction (Num.  xix  19.)  Hyssop  is  mentioned  as  a  plant  much 
used  in  the  Levitical  purgations,  either  as  a  convenient  instru- 
ment of  sprinkling  (Ex  xii.  22),  or  as  an  emblem  of  the  divino 
condescension,  viewed  in  contrast  with  the  divine  majesty  (Isai. 
Ixvi.  1,  2),  as  represented  by  the  cedar,  with  which  the  hyssop  ia 
perpetually  joined.  See  Num.  xix.  18,  and  compare  1  Kings  v.  13. 
iv.  33.  In  either  case  to  pui-ge  U"iM  A^/ssop  necessarily  suggesta 
the  idea  of  a  purification  founded  on  atonement,  as  the  hyssop  was 
employed  to  sprinkle  purifying  substances,  and  sometimes  mingled 
with  them  fEx.  xii.  22.  Num.  xix.  6,  18.)  The  second  future  in 
each  clause  expresses  both  consent  and  expectation.  Whiter  thdn 
snow  is  a  natural  hyperbole  denoting  perfect  purity.  See  the 
same  images  applied  to  the  same  subject  in  Isai.  i.  18.  The  last 
verb  answers  to  the  English  whiten^  being  properly  a  causative, 
but  sometimes  used  intransitively,  just  as  we  may  say,  that 
blushing  reddens  the  face,  or  that  the  face  reddens  in  the  act  of 
blusliing.  '  Wash  me  and  I  shall  whiten  (become  white)  from 
<^away  from,  as  distinguished  from,  and  by  implication  more  than) 
snow.' 

10  (8.)  Thon  wilt  mal-e  me  to  hear  jay  and  gladness  ;  (then) 
shall  rzjoice  the  hones  (which)  thou  hast  broken  {bruised^  or 
crushed.)  What  is  formally  expressed  is  still  a  confident  expec- 
tati(m  or  assured  hope,  under  which,  however,  an  intense  desire 
is  implicitly  contained.  The  joy  here  anticipated  is  that  of  par- 
doned sin.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxii.  1.  He  expects  to  hear  it, 
as  communicated  or  announced  by  God.  The  word  then  is  in- 
troduced in  the  translation  for  the  sake  of  retaining  the  original 
arra.ngement  of  the  sentence,  closing,  as  it  does  in  Hebrew,  with 
the  emphatic  figure,  crushed  or  broken^  which  expresses,  in  a 
very  lively  manner,  the  disorder  and  distress  produced  by  con- 
Bciou.sness  of  aggravated  and  unexpiated  guilt.  The  change 
from  this  condition  to  a  sense  of  safety  and   reconciliation  with 


6  PSALM    LI. 

Ood,  is  not  too  strongly  represented  by  the  bold  but  most  ex- 
pressive figure  of  broken  bones  rejoicing.  The  ellipsis  of  tho 
relative  in  this  clause  is  common  to  both  idioms. 

11  (9.)  Hide  thy  face  from  my  sins^  and  all  my  iniquities  blot 
out.  The  desire  implied  in  the  anticipations  of  the  two  preced- 
ing verses  now  breaks  out  into  its  proper  form,  that  of  direct 
petition.  Hide  thy  face  from  them,  so  as  not  to  see  them,  look 
DO  longer  at  them.  The  same  figure  is  applied,  in  an  unfavour- 
able sense,  to  God's  apparent  neglect  of  his  suffering  servants, 
his  refusal  to  behold  them  or  to  notice  their  condition.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  2(1.)  xliv.  25  (24.)  Blot  02ct,  expunge, 
from  thy  account,  or  from  the  book  of  thy  remembrance,  as  in 
V.  3  (1)  above.  What  he  asks  as  to  his  sins  is  that  God  will 
cancel  and  forget  them. 

12  (10.)  A  pitre  heart  create  for  me,  (oh)  God,  and  a  fixed 
(or  settled)  spirit  renew  within  me.  The  petition  in  the  first 
clause  involves  a  confession  of  impurity,  and  of  dependence  on 
almighty  power  and  sovereign  grace  for  its  removal.  A  pure 
heart  is  a  familiar  Scriptural  figure  for  affections  free  from  the 
taiut  of  sin.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  4,  and  below,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii. 
1,  and  compare  Matth.  v.  8.  Acts  xv.  9.  While  the  use  of  the 
word  create  implies  the  necessity  of  an  almighty  intervention, 
the  additional  phrase  to  {or  for)  me  suggests  the  idea  of  a  gift 
which  is  often  expressed  elsewhere  in  the  same  connection.  See 
Jcr.  xxiv.  7.  Ez.  xi.  19.  xxxvi.  26,  and  compare  1  Sam.  x.  9 
The  gift  demanded  in  the  last  clause  is  that  of  a  firm,  unwaver- 
ing spirit,  as  opposed  both  to  fickleness  and  cowardice.  Compare 
the  use  of  the  same  adjective  or  participle  in  Ps.  Ivii.  8  (7.) 
Ixxviii.  37.  cxii.  7.  The  word  renew  implies  a  previous  posseS' 
Bion  of  it,  derived  not  from  nature  but  from  grace,  and  inter- 
rupted hy  his  yielding  to  temptation.  Though  his  faith  and  love 
eould  not  utterly  fail,  his  fixedness  of  purpose  was  destroyed  for 


PSALM   LI.  7 

the  time,  and  could  only  be  recovered  by  a  new  conversion,  as 
in  the  case  of  Peter  (Luke  xxii.  32.)  Within  me,  in  the  midst 
(or  ill  the  inside)  of  me.  The  same  Hebrew  noun  is  repeatedly 
used  elsewhere,  to  denote  the  inward  dispositions  and  affections, 
as  distinguished  from  a  mere  profession  or  appearance.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  v.  10  (9.)  xlix.  12  (11.) 

13  (11.)  Cast  me  not  away  from  thy  'presence^  and  thy  Holy 
Spirit  take  not  from  me.  As  indispensable  prerequisites  and 
means  to  the  possession  of  such  a  heart  and  spirit  as  he  had  just 
prayed  for,  he  recogniz  ^s  intimate  communion  with  God,  and  the 
active  influences  of  his  Spirit.  This  prayer,  unless  we  arbitra- 
rily supply  again  or  forever^  seems  to  imply  that  David  was  in  ac- 
tual possession  of  these  blessings  and  afraid  of  losing  them.  There 
may  be  an  intentional  allusion  to  his  own  reception  of  the  Spirit 
and  to  Saul's  privation  of  it,  as  recorded  in  1  Sam.  xvi.  1,  7, 
13.     Compare  1  Sam.  x    6,  10.   Isai.  xi.  2. 

14  (12.)  Restore  to  me  the  joy  of  thy  salvation.,  and  (with)  a 
willing  spirit  uphold  me.  The  first  verb  is  a  causative  in  He- 
brew, meaning  mahe  to  return,  implying  previous  possession. 
The  next  phrase  may  be  explained,  according  to  a  very  common 
Hebrew  idiom,  thy  joy  of  salvation,  thy  saving  joy.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  ii.  6.  But  the  obvious  construction  seems  to  yield  the 
best  sense,  namely,  that  of  joy  occasioned  by  salvation,  or  relat- 
ing to  it  as  its  subject.  This  joy  was  of  course  incompatible 
with  any  interruption  of  God's  presence  and  the  assurance  of 
his  favour.  The  word  translated  willing  means  spontaneous, 
prompt,  forward  to  act  without  coercion  ;  then  liberal,  gene- 
rous, noble.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvii.  10  (9.)  It  may  be  taken 
as  an  epithet  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  but  the  omission  of  the  pronoun 
(i^.y)  which  determines  it  in  the  foregoing  verse,  and  the  repeated 
use  of  spirit  in  the  context  to  denote  his  own  heart,  makes  it 
more  probable  that  this  is  the  sense  h'^re  likewise.     By  such   a 


8  PSALM  LT. 

spirit  of  spontaneous  conformity  to  God's  will  lie   desires  and 
hopes  to  be  held  up,  i.  e.  preserved  from  falling  as  lie  fell  before. 

15  (13.)  (Then)  will  I  teach  transgressors  thy  ways,  and  sinnen 
unto  thee  shall  return.  Here  begins  the  expression  of  his  thankful- 
ness, or  rather  a  description  of  the  way  in  which  he  is  determined 
to  express  it.  The  word  supplied  at  the  beginning  points  out  the 
connection  of  the  verses.  '  Then,  when  these  petitions  have 
been  answered,  I  will  teach,  etc'  The  form  of  the  Hebrew 
verb  denotes  a  strong  desire  and  a  settled  purpose,  as  if  he  had 
said,  '  I  am  resolved  to  teach.'  Transgressors,  rebels,  traitors, 
apostates.  See  above,  on  v.  5  (3.)  Thy  ways,  as  well  the  ways 
in  which  thou  walkest  as  the  ways  in  which  thou  requirest  us  to 
walk,  the  course  of  providence  and  the  course  of  duty.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  22,  31  (21,  30.)  In  both  these  senses,  he 
might  naturally  wish  to  "  vindicate  the  ways  of  God  to  man." 
Of  this  resolution  a  partial  fulfilment  is  recorded  in  Ps.  xxxii. 
8,  9.  The  effect  of  such  instructions  is  recorded  in  the  last 
clause  of  the  verse  before  us.  The  Hebrew  verb  there  used  is 
not  a  passive  {shall  he  converted)  but  an  active  form,  shall  turn  or 
return  to  the  Lord,  perhaps  with  an  allusion  to  the  great  original 
sipostasy,  in  which  the  whole  race  is  involved.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxii.  2S  (27.)  To  this  verse  there  seems  to  be  particular 
allusion  in  our  Saviour's  words  to  Peter,  Luke  xxii.  32. 

16  (14.)  Free  me  from  blood,  (oh)  God,  God  of  my  salvatiouy 
(and)  my  tongue  shall  celebrate  thy  righteousness.  The  first 
clause  contains  the  condition  of  the  second,  and  the  whole  ia 
equivalent  to  saying,  *  if  thou  wilt  save  me,  I  will  praise  thee.' 
Blood,  literally  bloods,  the  plural  being  idiomatically  used  when 
there  is  reference  to  murder.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  7  (6.)  There 
may  be  an  allusion  to  the  frequent  personification  of  the  victim's 
blood,  as  crying  out  for  vengeance  on  the  murderer  or  pursuing 
him  (Gen.  i^    10.  ix.  5,  6.)     The  verb  translated /ree  is  applied 


PSALM    LI.  9 

^  deliverance  from  enemies  in  Ps.  vii.  2  (1),  and  from  sins  (aS 
here)  in  Ps.  xxxix.  9  (S.)  The  strength  of  the  desire  here  ex- 
pressed may  derive  some  illustration  from  the  threatening  in 
2  Sam.  xii.  9,  10.  Celebrate,  applaud  by  shout  or  song.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  xx.  6  (5.)  xxxii.  11.  xxxiii.  1. 

17  (15.)  Loi'dy  my  lips  thou  wilt  open,  and  my  mouth  shall 
declare  thy  praise.  The  relation  of  the  clauses  to  each  other  is 
the  same  as  in  the  foregoing  verse.  '  If  thou  wilt  open  my  lips, 
my  mouth  etc'  The  first  clause,  therefore,  really  includes  a 
petition  that  his  lips  may  be  opened  ;  but  it  also  includes  more^ 
to  wit,  a  confident  anticipation  that  his  prayer  will  be  granted. 
The  sense  is  therefore  only  partially  expressed  by  rendering  the 
future  as  an  imperative  (open  thou  my  lips.)  The  exact  form 
as  well  as  the  sense  of  the  original  is  given  in  the  Prayer  Book 
Version  (thou  shall  open  my  lips,  oh  Lord.)  Oj^cn  my  lips,  i.  e. 
enable  me  to  praise  thee  by  affording  an  occasion,  and  empower 
me  to  praise  thee,  by  removing  this  oppressive  sense  of  guilt, 
which  condemns  me  to  perpetual  silence.  Compare  Isai  vi.  5 — 7 
Declare,  tell,  utter,  or  proclaim.     See  above,  Ps.  xix.  2(1.) 

18  (16.)  For  thou  desirest  net  sacrifice,  else  would  I  give  (it)  , 
{in)  burnt  offering  thou  delightest  not.  He  now  assigns  the  reason 
why  he  is  determined  to  requite  God's  favour  by  becoming  praise 
The  literal  translation  of  the  first  clause  l',  thou  tcilt  not  desire 
sacrifice,  and  I  will  give  (it),  i.  e.  but  if  thou  dost  desire  it,  I  will 
give  it.  By  sacrifice  we  must  here  underst-^nd  the  mere  material 
oblation,  apart  from  the  penitent  and  thank%i  spirit,  of  which  it 
was  the  required  expression.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  7  (6.) 
The  parallel  terms,  sacrifice  and  burnt-offering.^  are  commonly 
regarded  as  generic  and  specific  expressions  oi  the  same  idea. 
But  some  interpreters  deny  that  they  are  ever  confounded  or 
promiscuously  used,  and  give  the  first  the  sense  of  Aa^^k  ofc'-^n^^, 

r 


10  PSALM   U. 

wbich  are  then  joined  with  expiatory  offerings,  as  a  general  de* 
scription  of  all  animal  oblations. 

19  (17.)  T/ie  sacrifices  of  God  (are)  a  b?  Aen  spirit ;  a  heart 
broken  and  crushed^  [oh)  God^  thou  wilt  not  desjnse.  These  are 
natural  and  perfectly  intelligible  figures  for  profound  and  sub- 
missive sorrow  on  account  of  sin.  There  is  great  significance  and 
beauty  in  what  seems  at  first  to  be  a  solecism  in  the  language  of 
the  first  clause.  The  sacrifice  of  God  is  a  broken  spirit  might 
seem  to  be  a  more  correct  expression  ;  but  it  would  have  failed  to 
suggest  the  striking  and  important  thought,  that  one  such  heart 
or  spirit  is  equivalent  to  all  the  various  and  complicated  sacrifices 
of  the  ritual.  The  sacrifices  of  God  are  those  which  he  requires 
and  is  willing  to  accept  The  use  of  the  word  contrite  in  the 
English  versions  mars  the  beauty  of  the  metaphor,  because  that 
term  is  confined  to  the  dialect  of  theology,  whereas  the  Latin 
contritum^  from  which  it  was  borrowed,  as  well  as  the  original 
expression,  exactly  corresponds  to  broken^  both  in  its  literal  and 
figurative  usage.  Thou  wilt  not  despise^  when  it  is  offered,  and 
especially  when  I  present  it,  as  the  solemn  expression  of  my 
thanks  for  this  deliverance.  The  substitution  of  the  present  for 
the  future  would  both  weaken  and  obscure  the  sentence,  and  the 
same  consideration  might  be  urged  in  favor  of  a  strict  translation 
in  the  verse  preceding.  So  far  is  a  habitual  sorrow  for  sin  from 
being  inconsistent  with  the  joy  of  God's  salvation,  that  David 
here  engages  to  present  it  as  a  perpetual  thank-offering.  Com- 
pare the  language  of  Hezekiah,  Isai.  xxxviii.   15. 

20  (18.)  Do  good^  i)i  thy  favour^  to  Zion  ;  thou  inlt  build  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem.  From  his  own  personal  necessities  his  mind 
now  passes  to  those  of  the  whole  church,  of  which  he  was  the 
vi.sibb  head  and  representative,  thereby  implying  that  his  sense  of 
guilt  and  danger  had  been  aggravated  by  the  thought  of  his  official 
relation  to  God's  people,  who  must  have   'hared  in  his  disgrace 


PSALM    LI.  11 

and  punishment.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  4  (3.)  iv.  3  (2.)  The 
change  of  constru3tion  from  the  imperative  to  the  future  marks  a 
natural  transition  from  importunate  desire  to  confident  anticipa- 
tion. See  above,  on  vs.  9 — 11  (7 — 9.)  This  delicate  transition 
there  is  surely  no  need  of  obi  iterating:  by  a  gratuitous  assimilation 
of  the  moods  and  tenses.  The  building  of  the  walls  is  a  poetical 
parallel  to  doing  good  or  showing  favour,  and  the  opposite  of 
dismantling  in  Ps.  Ixxxix  :  41  (40.) 

21  (19.)      Then  skalt  thou  be  phased  with  sacrifices  of  right- 
ecitsness^  hurtit-ojfe.riiig  and  holocaust ;   then  shall  theii  offer  on  j 

thine  altar  hillocks.      Then,  i.  e.  when  thou  hast  done  good  to  ! 

Zion  and  fortified  Jerusalem.  Sacrifices  of  righteousness^  right- 
eous or  right  sacrifices.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv  :  6  (5.)  Some 
have  inferred  from  this  verse,  that  the  psalm  was  written  in  the 
Babylonish  exile,  when  the  temple  was  in  ruins  and  the  ceremo- 
nial law  suspended,  and  that  the  Psalmist  here  anticipates  the 
time  when  both  should  be  restored.  But  this  is  forbidden  by  his 
saying,  in  v.  18  (16),  that  if  God  desired  burnt  oiferings  he  would 
give  them,  plainly  implying  the  continued  observance  of  the 
sacrificial  system.  There  is  no  ground,  therefore,  for  disputing 
either  the  correctness  of  the  title,  which  ascribes  the  psalm 
to  David,  or  the  genuineness  of  the  last  two  verses,  which  soma 
have  rejected  as  an  addition  by  a  later  hand.  These  verses  are 
not  only  appropriate  but  necessary  as  a  conclusion  to  the  psalm, 
and  every  difficulty  is  .  removed  by  giving  them  their  natural  but 
figurative  meaning,  as  an  expression  of  desire  and  hope  that  God 
would  favour  his  own  people  and  graciously  accept  their  service. 
Holocaust  is  here  used  to  translate  a  single  Hebrew  word,  mean- 
ing a  sacrifice  entirely  consume  1  upon  the  altar.  It  does  not 
describe  something  wholly  distinct  from  the  burnt  offering,  but 
the  burnt  offering  itself  considered  as  a  complete  and  unreserved 
oblation.  See  1  Sam.  vii  9.  Bullocks  are  mentioned  as  the 
choicest  victims  in  point  jf  species,  size,  and  age.     By  a  slight 


12  PSALM    LIl. 

change  of  construction  we  obtain  the  bold  and  striking  declaration 
that  the  bullocks  shall  themselves  ascend  the  .-iltar,  i.  e.  as  a 
living  and  spontaneous  sacrifice.     Compare  Isai.  Ix.  7. 


PSALM    LIT 


Tins  psalm,  besides  the  title,  vs.  1,  2,  contains  three  stanzas 
of  three  verses  each.  In  the  first,  the  Psalmist  expostulates 
with  an  arrogant,  cruel,  and  deceitful  enemy,  vs.  3 — 5  (1 — 3.) 
In  the  second,  he  foretells  the  destruction  of  this  enemy  by  the 
divine  judgments,  and  the  contempt  to  be  excited  by  his  folly, 
vs.  6 — 8  (4 — 6.)  In  the  third,  he  contrasts  this  fatal  fruit  of 
unbelief  with  the  happy  eJBFects  of  his  own  trust  in  God,  vs.  9 — 11 
(7 — 9.)  The  two  Sela/is  in  vs.  6,  7  (3,  5),  have  reference  not 
so  much  to  the  form  of  the  psalm  as  to  the  feelings  of  the 
Psalmist,  and  are  therefore  placed  irregulai-ly.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  iii.  3  (2.)  The  variation  of  the  English  and  the  Hebrew 
i3ible,  in  numbering  the  verses  of  this  psalm,  is  the  same,  and 
arises  from  the  same  cause,  as  in  the  fifty-first. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Mib^ician.  Maschil.  By  David.  The 
psalm  is  expressly  designated  as  a  Maschil  or  didactic  psalm, 
because  its  adaptation  to  this  purpose  might  very  easily  be  over- 
looked, in  consequence  of  its  avowed  relation  to  a  particular 
event  in  David's  history.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxii.  1.  xlii.  1. 
xlv.  1.  Though  occasioned  by  this  incident,  however,  it  was 
written  for  the  permanent  and  public  use  of  the  ancient  church, 
and  is  therefore  inscribed  to  (or  far)  the  Chief  Musician.  Sea 
above,  on  Ps   iv    1    li.  1. 


PSALM    Lll  13 

2.  WhtM  Doeg  the  Edomite  came  and  told  Saul^  and  said 
unto  him^  David  is  come  to  the  house  of  Ahimclech.  This  is 
merely  tlie  begiuniag  of  the  st)ry,  which  is  supposed  to  be 
familiar  to  the  reader  of  the  psalm,  and  which  is  given  at  length 
in  1  Sam.  xxii  Doeg  is  mentioned  only  as  the  witness  or  in- 
former, by  whose  means  the  matter  came  to  Saul's  knowledge. 
When  he  cavie^  literally,  in  his  coming^  the  same  form  of  expres- 
sion as  in  Ps.  li.  2. 

3(1.)  ^Hiy  wilt  thou  hoast  thyself  in  evil,  mighty  (man)  1 
The  mercy  of  the  Almighty  (is)  all  the  day.  The  future  form  of 
the  verb  suggests  the  idea  of  obstinate  persistency.  Boast  thy- 
self in  evil^  exult  or  triumph  in  the  injury  of  others.  The 
mighty  man  is  not  Doeg  but  Saul,  who,  of  all  the  characters  in 
sacred  history,  approaches  nearest  to  the  classical  idea  of  a  hero. 
There  is  something  therefore  of  respect  and  admiration  implied 
in  the  address,  as  if  he  had  said,  '  How  can  one  who  might  have 
been  so  eminent  in  well-doing,  glory  in  his  shame  or  boast  himself 
in  evil  P  In  the  last  clause  there  is  an  obvious  antithesis  be- 
tween the  malice  of  this  mighty  man  and  the  unfailing  goodness 
of  the  mighty  God.  The  particular  divine  name  here  used 
therefore  is  peculiarly  significant.  *  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  5  (4.) 
I.  1.  As  if  he  had  said,  '  Mighty  and  malicious  as  thou  art,  the 
might  and  mercy  of  Jehovah  are  still  greater.'  All  the  day^-\.  e 
perpetual,  unceasing.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  11  (K^  ) 

4  (2.)  Mischiefs  will  thy  tongue  devise.,  like  a  razor  ivhetted^ 
working  deceitfully.  The  first  word  means  calamitous  events, 
brought  on  one  man  by  the  malice  of  another.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  V.  10  (9.)  xxxviii.  13  (12),  and  below,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  2  (1.)  The 
distinctive  meaning  of  the  future  is  the  same  as  in  v.  3  (1.) 
The  toigue  is  here  said  to  meditate  or  devise  mischief,  because 
it  is  personified,  or  poetically  substituted  for  the  speaker.  The 
allusion  is  to  Saul's  cutting  words  when  he  accused  Ahim'^lcch 


14  PSALM   LIl 

and  David  of  conspiracy  against  him  (1  Sam.  xxii.  13.)  This 
false  charge,  or  the  tongue  which  uttered  it,  is  likened  to  a 
razor,  not  merely  sharp  but  sharpened,  whetted,  for  the  purpose 
or  occasion.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  6  (5.)  Similar  comparison? 
occur  in  Ps.  Iv.  22  (21.)  Ivii.  5  (4.)  lix.  8  (7.)  Ixiv.  4  (3.)  Jer. 
ix.  2,  7  (3,  8.)  Working  deceitfully ^  literally,  deceit  or  fraud. 
These  words  may  be  grammatically  referred  to  the  speaker  or  his 
tongue  as  practising  deceit ;  but  it  yields  a  more  striking  sense  to 
understand  them  of  the  razor,  as  working  deceitfully,  i.  e.  mov- 
ing silently  and  smoothly,  when  it  cuts  most  keenly. 

5.  Thou  hast  loved  evil  (inore)  than  good,  falsehood  {more)  than 
speaking  righteousness.  The  past  tense,  like  the  futures  in  the 
foregoing  verses,  includes  the  idea  of  the  present  ;  but  unlike 
them,  it  represents  the  love  of  sin  as  already  long-continued  and 
habitual.  Compare  the  form  of  expression  with  that  in  Ps.  xlv. 
8  (7.)  Bightcousness  includes  truth  or  veracity,  as  the  genus 
comprehends  the  species.  The  particular  unrighteousness  here 
meant  is  falsehood,  as  appears  from  the  antithesis.  The  selah 
tacitly  suggests  the  writer's  abhorrence  of  that  which  he  de- 
scribes 

6  (4.)  Thou  hast  loved  all  devouring  words^  tongue  of  fraud. 
This  is  not  so  much  a  continuation  of  the  foregoing  discourse, 
as  a  resumption  or  recapitulation  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  a 
conclusion  from  it.  In  periodic  style,  the  connection  of  the  ideas 
might  be  thus  exhibited  :  '  Since  then  thou  lovest,  etc.,  therefore 
God  will,  etc'  Devouring  words,  Yitevnlly^tcords  of  stv allowing 
or  deglutition.  'J'he  second  noun  occurs  only  here ;  but  the 
verb  to  swallow  up  is  continually  used  in  Hebrew  to  express  the 
idea  of  complete  destruction.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi,  10  (9.) 
XXXV.  25.  Tongue  of  deceit  or  deceitful  tongue,  lliis  phrase 
may  be  governed  by  the  verb,  thou  hast  loved  all  devouring 
words   (and  or  even)   a  deceitful  tongue.     But  it    adds   to  the 


PSALxM   LII.  15 

strength  of  the  expression,  and  agrees  better  with  the  form  of 
the  context,  to  make  it  an  apostrophe  or  direct  address  to  the 
deceitful  tongue  itself. 

7(5.)  C^o)  likewise  shall  God  destroy  thee  forever ;  he  shall 
take  thee  away,  and  jpluck  thee  out  of  {thy)  tentj  and  root  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  life.  Selah.  The  particle  at  the  beginning, 
fl^'fso,  likewise.)  shows  the  dependence  of  this  verse  upon  the  one 
before  it,  which  is  really  conditional,  though  not  in  form.  '  A  a 
thou,  on  thy  part,  lovest  all  devouring  words,  so  likewise  God, 
on  his  part,  will  destroy  thee.'  No  exact  translation  can  convey 
the  full  force  of  the  verbs  in  this  verse,  which  suggest  a  variety 
of  striking  figures  for  destruction  or  extermination.  The  first 
denotes  properly  the  act  of  pulling  down  or  demolishing  a  house 
(Lev.  xiv.  45),  and  this  would  also  seem  to  be  the  piimary  mean- 
ing of  the  third  (Pro v.  xv.  25),  although  some  suppose  it  to 
denote  the  act  of  pulling  up,  and  to  be  the  opposite  of  jplanl.,  as 
the  first  verb  is  of  build.  The  second  verb,  in  every  other  place 
where  it  occurs,  has  reference  to  the  handling  and  carrying  of 
fire  or  coals.  See  Prov.  vi.  27.  xxv.  22.  Isai.  xxx.  14.  To  a 
Hebrew  reader,  therefore,  it  would  almost  necessarily  suggest 
not  the  general  idea  of  removal  merely,  but  the  specific  one  of 
removing  or  taking  away  like  fire,  i.  e.  as  coals  are  swept  out 
from  a  hearth,  or  otherwise  extinguished.  The  remaining  verb 
adds  to  these  figures  that  of  violent  eradication,  and  is  well  re- 
presented by  its  English  equivalent.  The  lo'nd  of  life.,  or,  as  it 
is  commonly  translated,  'and  of  the  living,  is  a  poetical  descrip- 
tion of  life  itself,  or  the  present  state  of  existence,  under  the 
figure  of  a  country.  See  above,  on  Ps  xxvii.  13.  The  quick 
recurrence  of  the  pause  implies  excited  feeling  and  invites  atten 
lion  to  the  threatening  which  immediately  precedes. 

8  (6.)  And  the  righteous  shall  see,  and  they  shall  fear.,  and 
at  him  they  shall  laugh.  The  fear  meant  is  that  religious  awe 
produced  by  any  clear  manifestation  of  God's  presence  and  \\{i 


16  PSALM    LIT. 

power.  In  Ps  Ixiv.  9,  10  (8,  9),  it  is  assumed  to  be  compatible 
with  joy,  and  here  with  laughter  at  the  wicked,  not  a  selfish 
exultation  in  his  sufferings,  which  is  explicitly  condemned  in  tho 
Old  Testament  (Prov-  xxiv.  17.  Job  xxxi.  29),  but  that  sense  of 
the  absurdity  of  sin,  which  must  be  strongest  in  the  purest 
minds,  and  cannot  therefore  be  incompatible  with  pity,  the 
rather  as  it  is  ascribed  to  God  himself  (Ps.  ii.  4.)  The  parono 
masia  of  the  verbs  translated  see  and  fear  is  the  same  as  in  Ps 
xl.  4  (3.)  Shall  see,  i.  e.  the  destruction  threatened  in  v.  7  (6) 
At  him,  the  person  thus  destroyed,  the  same  who  is  addressed 
directly  in  the  foregoing  context.  The  enailage  pe}'sonae  may  be 
avoided  by  exchanging  at  him.  for  at  it,  i.  e.  the  destruction  it- 
self; but  this  is  not  so  agreeable  to  Hebrew  usage,  which  always 
prefers  personal  to  abstract  forms  of  speech. 

9  (7.)  Behold  the  man  (who)  loill  not  mahe  God  his  strength, 
hut  uill  trust  in  the  increase  cf  his  ueallh,  (tmd)  tcill  he 
sti-ong  in  his  wickedness.  This  may  be  regarded  as  the  lan- 
guage of  the  laughers  mentioned  in  v.  8  (6.)  Behold  the  man, 
see  to  what  he  is  reduced.  The  effect  of  the  hehold  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  interrogation  in  Isai  xiv.  16.  The  word  translated 
vian  is  not  one  of  the  usual  terms,  but  one  implying  strength 
^or  power,  so  that  its  use  here  gives  a  kind  of  sarcastic  import  to 
the  passage.  See  the  analogous  use  of  an  opposite  expression  in 
Ps.  viii.  5  (4.)  X.  18.  The  future  expresses  fixed  determination 
and  anticipated  perseverance  in  refusing.  Mahe,  literally,  jplace 
or  set.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  5  (4.)  His  strength.,  or  more  ex- 
actly, his  stronghold  or  fortress.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  1. 
xxxvii.  39.  xliii.  2.  Increase,  or  simply,  abundance,  greatness. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  li.  3  (1.)  The  word  translated 
\}ickedness  is  the  singular  of  that  translated  mischiefs  in  v.  4  (2) 
above.  It  seeniss  to  signify  particularly  an  inclination  to  mali- 
cious mischief. 


PSALM    L[l.  17 

10  (8.)  Arid  I  {am)  like  a  green  olive-tree  m  the  house  of  God; 
Ihave  trusted  in  the  mercy  of  God  {to]  eternity  and  perpetuity 
He  expects  uot  only  the  destruction  of  the  wicked  but  his  own 
Balvation.  To  express  the  connection  of  the  verses  clearly,  our 
idiom  would  require  an  adversative  particle  at  the  beginning,  but 
[.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  6.  A  verdant  fruitful  tree  is  a  favour- 
ite emblem  of  prosperity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  3.  The  olive  ia 
here  specified,  as  palms  and  cedars  are  in  Ps.  xcii.  13,  14 
(12,  13.)  The  imagery  of  the  verse  before  us  is  copied  in  Jer. 
xi.  16.  77ie  house  of  God,  the  tabernacle,  considered  as  his 
earthly  residence,  in  which  he  entertains  his  friends  and  provides 
for  his  own  household.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xv.  1.  xxiii.  6.  xxvii. 
4,  5.  xxxvi.  9"  (8.)  The  mixed  metaphors  only  show  that  the 
whole  description  is  a  figurative  one  and  should  be  so  interpreted. 
Ihave  (already)  ^ri^-s^e^,  which  includes  his  present  trust,  but 
also  includes  more,  to  wit,  that  it  is  not  a  new  or  sudden  impulse, 
but  a  settled  habit  of  his  soul.  The  two  nouns,  eternity  and  per- 
'petuity,  are  combined  in  the  adverbial  sense  of  forever  ami  ever. 
See  above, on  Ps.  x.  16.  xxi.  5  (4.)  xlv.  7  (6.)  xlviii..  15  (14.)  This 
qualifying  phrase  relates,  not  to  the  act,  but  to  the  object,  of  his  — . 
trust.  His  meaning  is  not,  '  I  will  trust  forever  in  God's  mercy,'  '^ 
which  would  have  required  a  future  verb  ;  but,  '  I  have  already 
trusted,  and  do  still  trust,  in  his  mercy,  as  a  mercy  that  will  last'^  ^ 
forever.' 


1 


11  (9.)  I  will  thank  thee  to  eternity  because  thou  hast  done  (it), 
aifid.  will  hope  {in)  thy  name — because  it  is  good — before  thy  saints. 
The  common  version  of  the  first  verb  (praise)  is  not  suificiently 
specific,  as  it  properly  denotes  a  particular  kind  of  praise, 
namely,  that  for  benefits  received.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.) 
vii.  18  n?.)  xiix.  19  (18.)  The  object  of  the  verb  /mst  done 
is  to  be  supplied  from  the  context  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii 
32  (31.)  xxxvii.  5.  xxxix.  10  (9.)  Thy  name,  the  manifesta- 
tion of  thy  nature.      See  above,  on   Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  xx.  2  (1.) 


J8  PSALM    LIII. 

xxiii.  3.  xlviii.  11  (10.)  To  expect  God's  name,  or  wait  for  it, 
is  to  trust  in  the  future  exercise  and  exhibition  of  the  same 
divine  perfections  which  have  been  exhibited  already.  The  com- 
mon version,  /  will  wait  on  thy  name^  is  not  so  happy  as  the  one 
in  the  Prayer  Book,  /  will  hope  in  thy  name.  Here  again,  as  in 
V.  10  (8),  the  epexegetical  clause, /or  it  is  good,  relates  not  to 
the  act  of  expectation  but  its  object.  He  does  not  mean,  '  be- 
cause it  is  good  to  hope  in  thy  name,'  but  '  because  thy  name  is 
good,  and  is  therefore  to  be  hoped  in.'  This  is  clear  from  the 
analogy  of  Ps.  liv.  8  (6.)  Ixix.  17  (16.)  cix.  21,  which  also 
shows  that  the  concluding  woids,  before  thy  saints,  are  to  be  con- 
strued neither  with  what  follows,  it  is  good  hefore  thy  saints  i.  e, 
in  their  estimation,  nor  with  the  remoter  antecedent  /  will 
thank  thee,  but  with  the  nearer  antecedent,  /  will  wait  for  thy 
name  before  thy  saints,  i.  e.  I  will  profess  my  trust  in  thy  mercy, 
not  in  private  merely,  but  in  the  presence  of  thy  people,  of  the 
church.  Compare  Ps.  xxii.  23  (22.)  For  it  is  good  must  then 
be  read  as  a  parenthesis.  Thy  saints,  the  merciful  objects  of 
thy  mercy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  4  (3.)  1.  5.  It  is  here  used 
eimply  as  a  general  designation  or  description  of  God's  people. 


PSALM     LIII. 


A  SECOND  edition  of  the  fourteenth  psalm,  with  variations, 
more  or  less  important,  in  each  verse.  That  either  of  these 
compositions  is  an  incorrect  copy  of  the  other,  is  highly  improba- 
ble, because  two  such  copies  of  the  same  psalm  would  not  have 
been  retained  in  the  collection,  and  because  the  variations  are  too 
uniform,  consistent,  and  significant,  to  be  the  work  of  chance  or 


PSALM   Lin.  19 

mere  traditional  corruption.  That  the  changes  were  deliberately 
made  by  a  later  writer  is  improbable,  because  such  a  liberty 
would  hardly  have  been  taken  with  a  psalm  of  David,  and  because 
the  later  form,  in  that  case,  would  either  have  been  excluded 
from  the  Psalter,  or  substituted  for  the  first  form,  or  immediately 
connected  with  it.  The  only  satisfactory  hypothesis  is,  that  tho 
original  author  afterwards  rewrote  it,  with  such  modifications  as 
were  necessary  to  bring  out  certain  points  distinctly,  but  without 
any  intention  to  supersede  the  use  of  the  original  composition, 
which  therefore  still  retains  its  place  in  the  collection.  This 
supposition  is  confirmed  by  the  titles,  which  ascribe  both  psalms 
to  David.  Of  this  kind  of  retradatio^  which  is  not  unknown  to 
the  practice  of  uninspired  hymnologists,  we  have  already  met 
with  a  remarkable  example  in  the  case  of  David.  See  above,  the 
concluding  note  on  Ps.  xviii,  vol.  1.  p.  153.  As  a  general  fact, 
it  may  be  stated,  that  the  variations  in  the  psalm  before  us  are 
such  as  render  the  expression  stronger,  bolder,  and  in  one  or  two 
cases  more  obscure  and  difficult.  To  these  variations  the  remarks 
which  follow  will  be  restricted.  For  the  exposition  of  the  parts 
which  are  common  to  both  psalms,  the  reader  is  referred  to  that 
of  Ps.  xiv. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician — iifon  Mahalath — Maschil — hy 
David.  Between  the  inscription  to  the  Chief  IMusician  and  the 
name  of  David,  which  are  also  found  at  the  beginning  of  Ps.  xiv, 
we  have  here  two  additional  expressions.  The  first  of  these  is  by 
some  regarded  as  the  name  or  description  of  an  instrument  ;  but 
as  it  is  so  used  nowhere  else,  and  as  forms  almost  identical  occur 
more  than  once  in  the  sense  of  sickness  or  disease,  (Ex.  xv  26. 
Prov.  xviii.  14.  2  Chr.  xxi.  15),  it  seems  most  natural  to  take 
the  phrase  as  an  enigmatical  enunciation  of  the  subject  of  the 
psalm,  which  is  in  strict  accordance  both  with  general  usage  and 
with  that  of  David  in  particular.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  1.  xxii. 
1    xiv.  1.      By  disease  we   may   then  understand   the  spiritual 


20  PSALM    LTIl. 

malady  with  which  mankind  are  all  infected,  and  which  is  really 
the  theme  or  subject  of  the  composition.  In  the  only  other  title 
where  it  reappears  (Ps.  Ixxxviii.  1),  it  denotes  corporeal  disease. 
The  other  addition  (niaschil)  describes  the  psalm  as  a  didactic 
one.     See  above,  on  Ps.  lii.  1 

2  (1.)  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart ,  There  is  no  God 
They  have  done  corrnjptly^  they  have  done  aloviinahle  wickedness , 
there  is  none  doing  good.  Sea  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  1.  The  only 
variation  in  this  verse  is  the  substitution  of  {"t.^)  iniquity  for 
{r^b^'t^)  ^^'^d  or  act.  Instead  of  saying,  they  have  made  (their) 
conduct  ahominahle.^  the  Psalmist  uses  the  stronger  expression, 
they  have  made  iniquity  abominahle,  or  done  abominably  (in  their) 
wickedness. 

3  (2.)  God  from  heaven  has  looked  down  on  the  sons  of  man^ 
to  see  if  there  is  (any)  acting  tcisely,  seeking  God.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xiv.  2.  The  only  difference  in  the  Hebrew  of  these 
verses  is  that  the  name  Eiohim  is  here  substituted  for  Jehovah.^ 
The  same  change  occurs  below,  in  vs.  5,  6,  7  (4,  5,  6.)  The 
name  Jehovah  is  not  used  at  all  in  the  psalm  before  us,  but  occurs 
four  times  in  Ps.  xiv,  and  Eiohim  thrice.  I'his  difference  seems 
to  mark  Ps.  liii  as  the  later  composition,  in  which  the  writer 
aimed  at  an  external  uniformity,  which  did  not  occur  to  him  at 
first.  This  is  a  much  more  natural  supposition  than  that  he 
afterwards  varied  what  was  uniform  at  first.  The  attempts  which 
have  been  made  to  account,  still  more  particularly,  ifor  the  use  of 
the  divine  names  in  these  two  psalms,  have  entirel}  failed. 

4  (3.)  All  of  it  has  apostatized ;  together  they  hive  putrefied ; 
there  is  none  doing  good  ;  there  is  not  even  one.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xiv.  3.  For  all  of  it  we  there  have  the  ichole^  i.  e.  the  whole 
human  race.  The  same  thing  seems  to  be  intended  by  .lixi  more 
obscure  phrase,  all  of  it^  in  which  the  pronoun  mi»/   rtjfcr  to 


PSALM    LIU.  21 

ma7i^  ill  the  collective  sense  of  manJdnd  or  the  human  race.  The 
idea  of  departure  from  God,  apostasy,  is  expressed  in  the  parallel 
places  by  two  verbs  almost  identical  in  form  (iD  and  3C),  the  one 
of  which  means  properly  to  turn  aside  and  the  other  to  turn 
back. 

5  (4.)  Do  they  not  know — (these)  workers  of  iniquity — • 
eating  my  people  'as)  t/iey  eat  bread — (and  on)  God  call  7ict  ? 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  4.  The  only  variation  here,  besides  the 
change  of  the  divine  name  which  has  been  already  mentioned,  is 
the  omission  of  the  all  before  workers  of  iniquity.  This  has  been 
noted  by  some  critics  as  the  only  case  in  which  the  language  of 
the  fourteenth  psalm  is  stronger  than  the  parallel  expression  of 
the  fifty-third. 

6  (5.)  There  have  they  feared  a  fear,  because  God  hath 
scattered  the  bon£s  of  thy  besieger  ;  thoiv  hast  put  {them)  to  shame, 
because  God  hath  rejected  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  5,  6. 
The  design  to  strengthen  the  expression  is  particularly  clear  in 
this  case,  where  two  verses  are  compressed  into  one,  and  the  other 
changes  all  enhance  the  emphasis.  Thus  instead  of  a  general 
assurance  of  divine  protection,  God  is  in  the  righteous  generation, 
we  have  here  a  description  of  their  enemies'  destruction,  in  the 
most  poetical  and  striking  terms,  God  hath  scattered  the  hones  of 
thy  besieger,  literally,  thy  encamper^  him  that  cncampeth  against 
thee.  So  too  instead  of  the  complaint,  that  the  wicked  treat  the 
faith  of  pious  sufferers  with  contempt — the  counsel  of  the  sufferer 
ye  will  shame  because  Jehovah  is  his  refuge — we  have  here  the 
tables  turned  upon  the  scoffers  by  the  scorn  both  of  God  and 
man — thou  hast  put  to  shame  (the  individuals  included  in  the 
collective  phrase  thy  besieger).,  because  God  has  rejected  ihem^  an 
act  implying  both  abhorrence  and  contempt.  In  this,  which  is 
by  far  the  most  considerable  variation  of  the  two  editions,  the 
existence  of  design  is  so  apparent,  that  the  supposition  of  an  in- 


22  PSALM  LIV 

advertent  or  fortuitous  corruption  seems  preposterous.  So  fai 
are  the  two  psalms  from  being  contradictory  or  even  inconsistent, 
that  they  might  be  sung  together,  by  alternate  or  responsive 
choirs,  with  the  happiest  eifect.  Nothing  can  be  more  natural, 
therefore,  than  the  supposition  that  David  gave  the  psalm  thia 
new  shape,  to  express  the  same  essential  feelings  in  a  higher  degree 
and  a  more  emphatic  form. 

7  (6.)  Wko  will  give  out  of  Zion  salvations  yto)  Israel — in 
God'^s  returning  (to)  the  captivity  of  his  people — let  Jacob  exult, 
let  Israel  joy  !  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7.  The  only  variations 
are  the  change  of  Jehovah  to  Elohim^  and  of  the  singular 
salvation  to  its  plural,  denoting  variety  and  fulness.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xviii.  51  (50.)  The  exact  translation  is,  salvations  of 
Israel^  and  the  meaning  of  the  next  clause,  '  when  God  revisits, 
(or  in  God's  revisiting)   his  captive  people.' 


PSALM    L  I  y . 


1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  With  (or  on)  stringed  instruments 
A  didactic  psalm.  By  David.  This  is  the  title  of  Ps.  iv,  but 
with  a  change  of  the  generic  term  mizmor  to  the  specific  one 
maschil.  See  above,  on  Ps.  liii.  1.  According  to  some  modern  in- 
terpreters, the  plural  neginoth  does  not  denote  a  plurality  of  stringed 
Instruments,  but  simply  that  kind  of  music,  with  its  complex 
variety  of  tones.  The  psalm  consists  of  a  prayer  for  deliverance 
from  wicked  enemies,  vs.  3 — 5  (1 — 3),  with  a  confident  antio 


PSALM  LIV.  23 

patiou  of  success  and  a  promise  of  thanksgiviug,  vs.  6-— 9  (4 — 7.) 
As  to  the  numbering  of  the  verses,  see  above,  on  Ps.  li.  1 .  lii  1.   , 

2.  In  the  coming  of  the  ZiphiteSy  and  they  said  to  Said^  (/s) 
not  David  hiding  himself  with  us  ?  The  verse  gives  the  histori 
cal  occasion  of  the  composition,  in  the  same  form  as  in  the  titles 
of  Ps.  li  and  lii.  Such  an  occurrence  is*  twice  recorded  in  the 
history,  1  Sam.  xxiii.  19.  xxvi.  1.  The  verbal  coincidence  is 
greater  in  the  fii'st  case.  The  words  of  the  Ziphites  seem  to 
have  been  remembered  on  account  of  some  peculiarity  in  the 
expression,  perhaps  the  use  of  the  reflexive  participle  (^^.riD'p^ 
which  remains  unchanged  in  all  three  places,  the  earliest  of 
which  is  probably  the  one  before  us.  The  interrogation  im- 
plies surprise  that  Saul  should  be  ignorant  of  what  was  so  noto- 
rious. Hiding  himself^  now  engaged  in  doing  so,  not  merely 
wont  to  do  so,  or  already  hidden.  TVith  us,  among  us,  or  in  our 
land,  i.  e.  the  wilderness  or  pasture-ground  of  Ziph,  (1  Sam. 
xxiii.  14,  15,)  in  or  near  which  was  a  town  of  the  same  name 
(Josh.  XV.  55,  2  Chron.  xi.  8,)  the  ruins  of  which  are  thought 
to  be  still  visible,  not  far  from  what  the  natives  call  Tell  Ziph  or 
the  Hill  of  Ziph.      (Robinson's  Palestine,  II.  191.) 

3  (1.)  Oh  Gody  hf  thy  name  save  me,  and  by  thy  might  thou 
wilt  judge  me.  The  insensible  transition  from  the  imperative  to 
the  future  shows  the  confidence  with  which  the  prayer  is  offered. 
By  thy  name,  i.  e.  the  exercise  of  those  perfections  which  have 
been  already  manifested.  See  above,  on  Ps.  lii.  11  (9.)  That 
it  is  not  a  mere  periphrasis  for  God  himself,  is  clear  from  the 
parallel  expression,  might  or  poicer.  Judge  me,  do  me  justice, 
vindicate  my  innocence,  by  saving  me  from  spiteful  enemies  and 
false  accusers.     See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  9  (8.)  xxvi.  1 

4  (2.)  Oh  God,  hear  my  prayer ,  give  ear  to  thi  sayiiigs  y 
my  ffwuth.     See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  2  (1)  v.  2  (1  > 


24  PSALM    LIV. 

5  (3.)  For  strangers  are  risen  up  against  me^  and  oppressori 
$eek  mv  soul  (or  life)  ;  they  have  not  set  God  before  them.  Sdnh.. 
To  the  earnest  petitions  in  the  two  preceding  verses,  he  now  adds 
a  particular  description  of  his  danger.  Strangers.,  not  foreigners, 
but  aliens  in  spirit,  both  to  him  and  to  Jehovah,  with  special  re- 
ference to  Saul.  See  below,  on  Ps.  cxx.  5.  Oppressors.,  perse- 
cutors, tyrants.  The  ofiginal  expression  implies  the  possession  of 
power  and  its  lawless  exercise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  35. 
Not  to  set  Gcd  before  them  is  to  act  as  if  they  did  not  remem- 
ber or  believe  in  his  existence  and  his  presence.  The  Selah  indi- 
cates a  pause  of  indignation  and  abhorrence.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Hi.  5  (3.) 

6  (4  )  Behold,  God  {is)  a  helper  for  me  ;  the  Lord  is  among 
the  upholders  of  my  soul.  From  the  party  of  his  enemies  he 
looks  to  that  of  his  defenders,  and  joyfully  recognizes  God,  not 
merely  with^  but  in  (the  midst  of)  thein,  among  them.  The  be- 
hold is  expressive  of  surprise,  and  at  the  same  time  of  a  perspi- 
cacious faith.  V/ith  the  form  of  expression  in  the  first  clause, 
compare  Ps.  xxx.  11  (10)  ;  with  the  second  Ps.  cxviii.  7.  Judg. 
xi.  35.  The  upholders  of  his  soul  are  the  defenders  of  his  life 
against  those  who  seek  it.  See  above,  v.  5  (3.)  Adhonai.,  the 
divine  name  properly  translated  io/<i,  because  expressive  of  God's 
sovereignty.  It  is  peculiarly  appropriate  here,  where  he  is  claim- 
ing God  as  his  protector. 

7  (5.)  The  evil  shall  return  to  my  enemies;  in  thy  truth  de- 
stroy them.  The  future  here  runs  into  the  imperative,  as  the 
imperative  does  into  the  future,  in  v.  3  (1)  above.  The  impera- 
tive in  this  case  is  only  a  stronger  form  of  prediction.  The  evil^ 
which  they  mean  to  do  me.  Return  to  or  upon  them,  i.  e.  shall 
befall  themselves.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  17  (16.)  This  is  the" 
sense  required  by  the  reading  in  the  text  (nrr'^),  which  the  mo- 
dern critics  commonly  regard  as  the  most  ancient.     The   mar- 


PSALM    LIV  25 

ginal  or  mascretic  reading  (n^iri)  must  be  rendered,  he,  wUl  cans* 
to  return^  repay,  requite.  Thy  truth^  the  truth  of  thy  promise* 
and  threatenings,  thy  veracity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxx.  10  (9.) 
The  certain  foresight  of  the  doom  of  the  wicked,  which  is  ex- 
pressed in  the  first  clause,  makes  the  prayer  (if  such  it  bo  con- 
sidered) in  the  first  clause,  a  mere  iteration  of  the  previous 
threatening.  A  prayer  that  God  will  do  what  we  are  certain  that 
he  will  do  can  be  little  more  than  an  expression  of  that  certainty 
See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  11  (10.) 

8  (6)  TFl/A  a  free-wiU-offering  will  I  sacrifice  unto  thee;  I 
wUl  praise  thy  navie^  Jehovah^  for  it  is  good.  In  the  confident 
assurance  of  a  favourable  answer  to  his  prayer,  he  promises  a  suit- 
able acknowledgment.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  A  free-will 
or  voluntary  offerings  as  opposed  to  one  prescribed  by  law,  not  to 
one  rendered  obligatory  by  a  vow,  for  then  a  voluntary  offering 
would  in  this  case  be  impossible.  The  Hebrew  word  is  the  tech- 
nical term  applied  to  such  an  offering  in  the  Law.  See  Lev.  vii. 
16.  xxii.  23,  and  compare  Ex.  xxv.  2.  xxxv.  29,  Num.  xv.  3. 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  lii.  11  (9.) 

9  (7.)  For  out  of  all  distress  he  hath  delivered  me^  and  on  my 
*>Me?)iies  my  eye  has  looked.  In  his  confident  assurance  of  a  favour- 
able issue,  he  speaks  of  it,  though  future,  as  already  past.  The 
sudden  change  of  person  may  be  avoided  by  translating  the  first 
verb,  it  (i.  e.  thy  name)  has  delivered  7?ie^  according  to  the  prayer 
in  V.  3  ( 1 . )  My  eye  Jms  looked  or  gazed.,  with  an  implication  of 
delight,  or  at  least  yi  acquiescence,  which  is  commonly  conveyed 
by  this  construction.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  23.  This  kind  of  sat- 
isfaction in  the  execution  of  God's  threatenings  is  sinful  only 
when  combined  with  selfish  malignity.  Apart  from  this  sorrupt 
admixture,  it  is  inseparable  from  conformity  of  will  and  coin 
cidence  of  judgment  with  God.  The  same  kind  and  degree  of 
acquiescence  which  is  felt  by  holy  angels  in  heaven  may  surely  be 

2 


26  PSALM   LV. 

expressed  by  saints  on  earth,  especially  in  their  collective  capa- 
city as  a  church,  in  whose  name  the  psalmist  is  here  speaking, 
and  not  merely  in  his  own  or  that  of  any  other  individual. 


PSALM    LY. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Mmician.  With  {or  on)  stringea  instruments. 
A  Didactic  Psalm.  By  David.  The  psalm  is  designated  as  a 
Maschil,  because  it  might  at  first  sight  seem  to  have  relation 
merely  to  a  case  of  personal  maltreatment  and  distress,  whereas 
it  is  a  general  description  of  the  sufferings  of  God's  people,  or 
the  righteous  as  a  class,  at  the  hands  of  false  friends  and  malig- 
nant enemies.  Although  there  seem  to  be  allusions  to  the 
writer's  own  experience,  in  the  times  both  of  Saul  and  Absalom, 
the  whole  description  can  be  applied  exclusively  to  neither.  The 
only  natural  division  of  the  psalm  is  the  one  suggested  by  the 
fact,  that  in  the  first  part  the  sufferer  complains  of  his  enemies 
in  general,  vs.  2 — 12  (1 — 11)  ;  in  the  second,  he  singles  out  the 
case  of  one  who  had  seemed  to  be  his  friend,  but  treacherously 
turned  against  him,  vs.  13 — 16  (12 — 15)  ;  in  the  third,  he  con- 
fidently anticipates  his  own  deliverance  and  the  destruction  of  his 
enemies,  vs.  17—26  (16—25.) 

2(1.)  Give  ear^  oh  God^  to  m.y  'prayer^  and  hide  not  thyself 
from  my  supplication.  This  is  the  general  introductory  petition, 
which  is  afterwards  amplified  and  rendered  more  specific.  The 
last  word  strictly  means  a  cry  or  prayer  for  mercy.  See  above,  on 
Ps,  vi.  10  (9.")  To  hide  one's  self  is  an  expression  used  in  the  Law 


PSALM    LV.  27 

to  desc/ibe  tLe  act  of  wilfully  withholdlDg  aid  from  one   who 
needs  it.     See  Deut.  xxii.  1 — 4,  and  coiupare  Isai.  Iviii.  7. 

3  (2.)  Hearken  to  me  aiul  ansicer  me;  In-ill  give  loose  to  my 
thought^  and  I  will  make  a  noise.  The  first  verb  means  to  attend^ 
especially  to  one  speaking,  to  listen,  to  hearken.  See  above,  on 
Ps  V.  3  (2.)  X.  17.  xvii.  1.  Answer  or  hear^  in  the  sense  of 
receiving  a  prayer  favourably.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  5  (4.) 
xxxviii.  16  (15.)  The  literal  translation  of  the  next  words  is,  1 
will  sujfer  to  waiuler  in  viy  thinkings  i.  e.  I  will  let  my  mind  wan- 
der, or  my  thoughts  rove  as  they  will.  He  is  resolved  not  only 
to  think  freely  but  to  express  his  thoughts  aloud.  The  same  use 
of  the  Hebrew  verb  occurs  in  Micah  ii.  12.  The  thinking  or 
meditation  here  meant  is  reflection  on  his  sufferings,  to  which  the 
Hebrew  verb  is  specially  applied.  With  the  whole  verse,  and 
with  this  clause  in  particular,  compare  Job  vii.  11. 

4  (3.)  From  the  voice  of  the  enemy ^  from  before  the  persecution 
of  the  wicked  ;  for  they  icill  shake  over  me  iniquity y.  and  in  wrath 
will  oppose  me.  He  now  declares  from  what  his  distress  arises. 
The  prei^osition,  in  Hebrew  as  in  English,  has  a  causal  meaning, 
or  at  least  suggests  a  relation  of  cause  and  effect.  From  tht 
voice,  i.  e.  because  of  it.  Fro?ji  before  or  fro7}i  the  face  conveys 
the  same  idea  still  more  strongly,  by  a  kind  of  personification  of 
the  evil  dreaded.  Fersccution  of  the  wicked  :  compare  the  oppres- 
sion of  the  enemy.,  in  Ps.  xlii.  10  (9.)  Shake  over  ?«c,  or  cause 
to  slide  upon  me,  a  striking  figure  for  the  wilful  infliction  of  evil 
on  another.  Iniquity  may  here  be  put,  as  it  sometimes  is,  for 
active  wickedness  towards  others,  the  cause  of  suffering;  rather 
than  suffering  itself.  With  this  clause  compare  Ps.  xli,  9  (8.) 
Oppose  me,  be  my  adversaries,  whether  in  the  way  of  resi-«tance 
or  assault.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  a  cognate  form  to  thai  from 
which  com"!S  Satan  or  the  Adversary. 


28  PSALM   LV 

5  (4.)  My  heart  writhes  m  the  midst  of  me,  %nd  terrors  of  death 
have  fallen  upon  me.  The  future  form  of  the  first  verb  implies 
an  apprehension  that  the  pain  will  continue  and  be  permanent 
In  the  midst  of  me,  inside  of  me,  within  me.  He  is  not  merely 
involved  in  outward  troubles,  but  pained  at  heart.  Terrors  of 
death  might  be  strictly  understood  as  meaning  fear  or  dread  of 
death  ;  but  it  agrees  better  with  the  strong  figurative  language  of 
the  first  clause,  to  take  it  in  the  sense  of  deadly,  mortal  terrors. 
An  analogous  expression  is  death-shade  or  shadow  of  death.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxiii.  4.  xliv.  20  (19.)  The  figure  of  falling  neces- 
garily  suggests  the  idea  of  infliction  by  a  superior  power. 

6  (5.)  Fear  and  trembling  enter  into  me,  and  horror  hath  cov-^ 
ered  me.  The  future  in  the  first  clause  represents  the  action  as 
not  yet  completed,  and  might  be  rendered,  they  are  entering  or 
about  to  enter.  The  Hebrew  verb  with  this  preposition  denotes 
more  than  co?7ie  upon  ;  it  describes  the  terror  as  not  only  on  him 
but  within  him.  The  word  translated  horror  is  a  stronger 
synonyme  of  trembling,  and  might  be  translated  shuddering  or  a 
shudder.      Covered  me,  i.  e.  overspread  or  overwhelmed  me. 

7(6.)  And  I  said,  who  will  give  me  a  pinion  like  the  dove  7  1 
will  fly  aicay  and  be  at  rest.  This  is  equivalent  to  saying,  if  I 
had  the  pinions  of  a  dove,  I  would  fly  away,  etc.  Who  will 
give  is  an  idiomatic  optative  expression,  tantamount  to  saying, 
oh  that  I  had,  etc.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7.  The  word  trans- 
lated pinion  properly  denotes  the  penna  major  or  flag-feather  of  a 
bird's  wing,  and  is  here  put  poetically  for  the  wings  themselves 
The  two  last  verbs  are  in  the  paragogic  or  augmented  form,  ex- 
pressing strong  desire  or  settled  purpose.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  3. 
The  last  verb  usually  means  to  dicdl,  but  has  either  the  primary 
or  secondary  sense  of  reposing,  resting.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii. 
3.  The  first  verb  is  immediately  dependent  on  the  last  of  the  pre- 
ce.v^ing   verse,  a  grammatical  relation  which  may  be  expressed 


PSALM   LV.  2^ 

^Las  in  our  idiom :    '  horror  hatli   covered  me   so  that   I  say, 
etc' 

8  (7.)  io,  I  will  wander  far^  I  will  lodge  m  the  wilderness. 
Selak.  The  lo  or  beliold  is  tantamount  to  pointing  with  the  fingar, 
or  to  saying  t/i^,re  I  see  tJiere  !  The  next  phrase  is  highly  idioraatio 
and  literally  means,  '  I  will  make  remote  to  wander.'  To  lodge 
is  here  to  take  up  one's  abode,  to  dwell,  as  in  Ps.  xxv.  13.  The 
wilderness^  not  necessarily  a  barren  desert,  but  an  uninhabited 
region,  the  essential  idea  here  being  that  of  separation  from 
human  society,  a  strong  though  indirect  mode  of  affirming  its 
extreme  corruption.  The  strength  of  the  feeling  which  prompted 
this  desire  is  indicated  by  a  solemn  pause. 

9  (8.)  /  will  hasten  my  escape  from  rushing  wind^  from 
tempest.  Another  construction  of  the  first  clause  makes  the  verb 
intransitive  and  the  noun  a  local  one,  as  indicated  by  its  form,  / 
loill  hasten  {to)  my  refuge.  It  is  better,  however,  to  give  the 
biphil  verb  its  proper  meaning,  and  nouns  of  the  form  here  used 
denote  not  only  the  place  of  action  but  the  act  itself.  My  escape^ 
literally,  an  escape  for  me  or  for  myself.  The  preposition  in  the 
last  clause,  though  it  properly  means //-o/^,  is  constantly  employed 
in  Hebrew  to  denote  or  indicate  comparison.  If  thus  explained 
in  this  case,  it  would  make  the  clause  descriptive  of  the  speed 
with  which  he  wishes  to  escape,  more  tlmn  the  rushing  wind  and 
tempest.  This  sense  is  preferred  by  some  interpreters ;  but  the 
other  is  more  obvious  and  simple,  and  is  also  recommended  by 
the  frequent  representation  of  calamity  under  the  figure  of  a 
storm  or  tempest,  which  would  hardly  have  been  joined  with  that 
of  wind,  if  the  only  idea  meant  to  be  conveyed  had  been  that  of 
great  velocity. 

10  (9.)  Destroy.,  oh  Lord^  divide  their  tongue  ;  for  I  havt 
uen  violence  and  strife  in  the  city.     The  first  word  properly  means 


30  PSALM    LV. 

swallov?  up.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi.  10  (9.)  The  object  to  be 
supplied  is  not  their  tongue  but  themselves.  Divide  their  tongue^ 
i.  e.  confound  their  speech  or  make  it  unintelligible,  and  as  a 
necessarj  consequence  confound  their  counsels.  There  is  obvious 
reference  to  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  Babel  (Gen.  xi.  7 — 9),, 
as  a  great  historical  example  of  the  way  in  which  God  is  accus-> 
tonied  and  determined  to  defeat  the  purposes  of  wicked  men  and 
execute  his  own.  The  word  translated  cruelty  denotes  violent 
injustice,  or  injustice  accompanied  by  violence.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  vii.  17  (16.)  In  the  citqj  is  supposed  by  some  to  mean 
nothing  more  than  among  men,  in  human  society  ;  but  the  words 
could  hardly  fail  to  suggest  to  any  Hebrew  reader  the  idea  of  the 
holy  city,  as  the  place  directly  meant,  although  the  words  them- 
Bolves  may  be  applied  to  any  other  place  where  the  same  state  of 
things  exists. 

11  (10.)  Day  and  night  they  will  surround  her  on  her  walls; 
and  iniquity  and  trouble  {will  he)  in  the  midst  of  her.  The 
Violence  and  Strife  of  the  preceding  verse  are  here  personified  as 
a  besieging  enemy.  At  the  same  time  the  interior  is  occupied  by 
Iniquity  and  Trouble,  no  less  formidable  enemies.  Her  loalls,  those 
of  the  city  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  verse.  Iniquity  and  trouble 
are  here,  and  often  elsewhere,  put  together  as  cause  and  effect,  the 
last  denoting  the  distress  or  trouble,  which  the  wickedness  of  one 
man  brings  upon  another.     See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  15  (14.) 

12  (11.)  Mischiefs  {are)  in  the  midst  of  her^  and  from  her 
itreet  ivill  not  depart  oppression  and  deceit.  The  first  woi-d  in 
Hebrew  necessarily  suggests  the  two  ideas  of  calamities  and 
crimes.,  i.  e.  calamities  occasioned  by  the  crimes  of  others.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  v.  10  (9.)  xxxviii.  13  (12.)  lii.  4,9  (2,  7.)  The 
word  translated  street  denotes  a  wide  place  and  is  specially  applied 
to  the  square  or  open  space  surrounding  the  gates  of  oriental 
r'iies,  arM^   ised  both  for  markets  and  for  courts  of  justice.     See 


PSALM   LV  31 

Nelb  »iii.  1,3,16.  The  word  therefore  very  nearly  corresponds 
to  th^  Greek  agora  and  the  Latin  forum^  and  may  be  here  used 
to  suggest  ihe  idea  both  of  legal  and  commercial  malfeasance. 
Neither  thair  wiaikets  nor  their  courts  are  ever  free  from  these 
two  forms  of  ^TOii.'^  injustice,  namely,  fraud  and  violence. 

13  (12.)  Fof  {it  is)  not  an  enemy  (that)  ivill  revile  me,  else, 
would  I  bear  it ;  lit  is)  not  one  hating  me  (that)  has  magnified 
(himself)  against  -.^e,  else  would  I  hide  myself  from  him.  Tho 
Hebrew  word  answering  to  else,  is,  in  both  these  cases,  the  usual 
copulative  particle,  and  the  original  construction  seems  to  be, 
ami  (if  it  is)  I  tcill  hear  it,  and  (if  it  is)  I  will  hide  myself.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  li.  18  (16.)  The  act  of  reviling  here  includes  both 
calumny  and  insult.  The  future  in  the  first  clause  suggests  the 
idea  of  an  indignity  or  injur}^  about  to  be  endured.  As  if  he  had 
said,  '  when  I  go  forth  among  my  neighbours,  it  is  not  my  open 
enemy  that  will  malign  me.'  But  that  such  treatment  had 
already  been  experienced,  is  intimated  by  the  preterite  of  the  last 
clause.  The  verb  to  7nagnify  is  here  used  reflexively  or  absolutely, 
as  in  Ps.  xxxv.  26.  xxxviii.  1^  (16.)  There  is  no  need  there- 
fore of  supposing  an  ellipsis  or  identifying  this  form  of  expression 
with  the  one  in  Ps.  xli.  10(9)  Hide  myself,  literally  he  hidden; 
but  the  passive  forms  in  Hebrew  not  unfrequently  imply  a  reflex 
act,  like  the  middle  voice  in  Greek.  The  negation  in  this  verse 
is  of  course  not  absolute  but  relative,  and  must  be  qualified  by 
due  regard  to  the  circumstances  of  the  case.  That  he  was  re- 
proached and  threatened  by  avowed  enemies,  is  not  only  a 
frequent  subject  of  complaint  elsewhere,  but  sufficiently  implied 
in  V.  4  (3)  above.  The  true  solution  of  this  seeming  contradic- 
tion is,  that  he  here  passes  from  a  general  description  of  the 
prevalent  iniquity  to  a  particular  case,  in  which  his  feelings  were 
personally  interested.  In  this  particular  case,  it  was  not  an  open 
enemy  that  slandered  or  insulted  him.  It  is  therefore  as  if  he 
had  said,  '  but  it  is  not  of  this  open  and  unblushing  wickedness 


S2  PSALM    LV. 

that  I  especially  complain,  but  rather  of  the  perfidy  of  falsa 
friends.'  Thus  understood,  the  verse,  instead  of  contradicting  v 
4  (3),  presupposes  what  is  there  affirmed. 

14  (13.)  But  fkou,  a  man  mine  equal,  my  associate,  my  ac- 
quaintance. It  is  a  striking  illustration  of  the  difference  between 
the  Hebrew  and  English  idiom,  that  the  former  uses  and  at  the 
beginning  of  this  sentence,  where  in  English  but  is  absolutely 
indispensable.  The  word  for  man  is  that  denoting  frailty  and 
mortality.  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4.)  ix.  20,  21  (19,20.) 
a.  18.  But  it  seems  to  be  used  here  without  any  emphasis,  in 
simple  apposition  with  what  follows,  or  as  "a  vocative,  t/iou,  oh 
man,  mine  equal.  This  last  expression  is  in  Hebrew,  according 
to  my  valuation,  the  noun  being  a  technical  term  of  the  Mosaic 
Law,  denoting  the  official  estimation  of  the  priest,  in  certain 
cases  of  redemption  or  pecuniary  penalty.  See  Lev.  v.  15,  18, 
xxvii.  12.  The  whole  phrase  here  employed  is  understood  by 
some  to  mean  one  whom  I  value,  i.  e.  highly,  or  more  specifically^ 
one  whom  I  value  as  myself.  More  probably,  however,  it  means 
one  who  is  (or  may  be)  estimated  'fe-t  the  same  rate  with  myself, 
which  is  precisely  the  idea  conveyed  by  the  common  version,  my 
equal,  one  of  my  own  rank  and  circle,  my  associate.  This 
last  is  the  sense  put  by  the  modern  interpreters  on  the  next 
word  in  Hebrew.  The  old  translation  (guide)  rests  on  a  doubt- 
ful etymology,  and  the  authority  of  the  ancient  versions.  (LXX 
7}ypfi(bp.  Vulg.  dux.)  Acquaintaiice  seems  to  be  a  weaker  ex- 
pression than  the  others  ;  but  the  Hebrew  word  always  implies 
very  intimate  association.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxi.  12  (11),  and 
below,  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  9,  19  (8,  18.) 

15  (14.)  {With)  lohom  we  take  sweet  counsel ;  in  the  house  of 
God  we  march  with  noise.  The  future  forms  can  only  be  ac- 
counted for  by  supposing  that  he  here  anticipates  a  violation 
of  the  laws  of  friendship  which  had  not  yet  visibly  occurred.     Tha 


PSALM    LV.  33 

false  friend,  of  wliom  he  is  complaining,  seems  to  be  one  with 
whom  he  was  still  intimate,  but  whose  defection  he  clearly  fore- 
saw. As  if  he  had  said,  '  with  this  man  I  must  still  continue  to 
be  associated,  although  he  is  eventually  to  betray  me.'  In  this 
particular,  the  case  described  resembles  that  of  our  Lord  and 
Judas  Iscariot,  which  may  indeed  be  considered  as  included  in 
the  general  description.  The  form  of  the  first  clause  is  idio- 
matic and  peculiar :  who  (or  as  to  whom)  together  we  will  sweeten 
counsel  J  or  rather  confidential  intercourse.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
XXV.  14.  The  other  clause  may  possibly  mean,  ice  march  to  tM 
house  of  God.  But  the  strict  sense  of  the  particle  may  be 
retained  and  the  whole  referred  to  solemn  processions  within  the 
sacred  enclosure  or  court  of  the  tabernacle.  With  noise^  i.  e. 
with  festive  tumult.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  5  (4.) 

16  (15.)  Desolations  (arc)  upon  them!  They  shall  go  down 
to  Sheol  alive  !  For  evils  are  in  their  dwellings^  in  their  heart. 
The  optative  form  given  to  this  sentence  in  most  versions  is  en- 
tirely gratuitous.  All  that  the  Hebrew  words  express  is  a  con- 
fident anticipation.  The  common  version  of  the  first  words  {let 
death  seize  wpmi  them)  is  founded  on  the  masoretic  reading  {yC^^I 
ni^pV  but  the  best  critics  now  prefer  the  older  reading  in  tho 
text  (ni)3'^^''^J,  which,  instead  of  a  verb  and  a  singular  noun,  ex- 
hibits one  noun  in  the  plural  number,  meaning  desolations^  and 
agreeing  with  the  substantive  verb  understood.  Upon  them^ 
hovering  or  impending  over  them.  Sheol^  the  grave,  the  state 
of  the  dead,  the  wide  old  English  sense  of  hell.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  vi.  6  (5.)  There  is  an  obvious  allusion  to  another  great 
historical  type  of  God's  retributory  judgments,  the  destruction 
of  Korah  and  his  company,  who  icent  down  alive  into  the  pit, 
Num.  xvi.  33.  The  word  quick^  in  the  common  English  version 
of  this  sentence,  is  an  adjective  synonymous  with  living  or  alive^ 
and  not  an  adverb  meaning  soon  or  swiftly.  Evils.,  i.  e.  evil 
deeds  and  evil  thoughts.     In  their  heart,  or  inside,  inner  part,  aa 


34  PSALM    IV. 

m  Ps.  V.  10  (9.,.  xlix.  12  (11.)     This  is  a  much  better  sense 
fcban  in  (he  midst  of  them ^  among  them. 

17  (16.)  I  to  God  will  call^  and  Jehovah  will  save  me.  The 
pronoun  is  emphatic,  1  on  my  part.  While  they  are  brought  to 
desolation  and  to  death,  I,  on  the  contrary,  will  call  to  God.  If 
the  use  of  two  divine  names  has  any  significance  beyond  the  re- 
quisitions of  the  parallelism,  the  meaning  may  be,  ^  I  will  call  to 
God,  and  as  the  covenant  God  of  Israel  he  will  ^ave  me.'  Com- 
pare Ps.  xviii.  4  (3.) 

18  (17.)  Evening  and  morning  and  noon  I  will  muse  a'lid 
murmur — and  he  has  heard  my  voice.  The  first  clause  is  sup- 
posed by  some  to  prove  that  the  observance  of  three  stated  hours 
of  prayer  was  as  old  as  David  ;  others  suppose  the  observance  to 
have  been  suggested  by  the  clause  itself.  But  the  natural  and  ob- 
vious division  of  the  day  here  mentioned  may  have  given  occasion 
both  to  the  clause  and  the  observance.  Muse  and  murmur  is  a 
combination  descriptive  of  prayer^  both  as  mentally  conceived 
and  audibly  expressed.  Murmur  is  perhaps  not  strong  enough 
to  convey  the  full  sense  of  the  Hebrew  verb,  which  elsen^here 
means  to  make  a  loud  noise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  6,  12 
(5,  11)  xlvi.  4,  7  (3,  6.)  The  assimilation  or  confusion  of  the 
tenses  in  this  verse  by  some  translators  is  not  only  arbitrai-y  but 
injurious  to  the  sense.  What  is  mentioned  in  the  first  clause  as 
still  future  is  recorded  in  the  last  clause  as  already  past.  As  if 
die  had  said,  '  thus  did  I  resolve  to  pray,  and  now  my  prayer  has 
been  already  made  and  answered.'  Such  transitions  are  among 
the  characteristic  beauties  of  the  Psalter,  and  ought  not  to  be 
gratuitously  sacrificed,  still  less  at  the  expense  of  violating 
usage  and  the  rules  of  grammar. 

19  (18.)  He  redeemed  in  jpeace  my  soul  from  the  war  against 
me^for  many  were  idith  me.     In  peace  or  with  peace^  as  the  result 


PSALM  LV.  35 

of  this  redemption.  Against  me^  literally,  t(  me^  the  war  that 
was  to  me,  that  I  had.  The  last  clause,  to  an  English  ear,  con- 
veys the  idea  that  his  friends  or  champions  were  many  but  the 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  is  directly  opposite,  with  me  teing  used 
in  such  connections  to  denote  a  relation  of  hostility,  as  we 
speak  of  fighting,  quarrelling,  contending  ivitk  one.  In  either 
case,  the  particle  expresses  really  no  more  than  joint  or  simul- 
taneous action,  the  idea  of  enmity  or  opposition  being  gathered 
from  the  context.  The  literal  translation  of  the  last  clause  is., 
in  many  were  (those)  with  me^  i.  e.  consisting  in  many.  The  ad- 
verse party  was  composed  of  many  individuals.  This  usage  of 
the  ill  is  strictly  appropriate  only  to  numerals.  See  Deut.  x.  22 
xxviii.  62. 

20  (19.)  God  will  hear  and  answer  them.,  ami  (He)  inlmhiting 
antiquity  (will  hear  and  answer  those)  to  whom  thtre  are  ni) 
changes.,  and  (who)  fear  not  God.  As  he  has  heard  me  in 
mercy,  so  will  he  hear  them  in  wrath.  As  he  has  answered  my 
prayer  in  the  way  described  above,  v.  19  (18),  so  will  he  answer 
them  in  the  way  described  below,  v.  24  (23.)  In  this  case, 
what  is  heard  and  answered  is  not  prayer,  but  the  voice  of  the 
enemy .^  v.  4  (3),  and  his  malignant  slanders,  v.  13  (12.)  In- 
huhiting  antiquity.,  or  as  the  English  Bible  phrases  it,  he  that 
ahideth  of  old.  The  first  Hebrew  verb  however  could  not  fail  to 
suggest  its  primary  meaning,  which  is  to  sit.,  and  more  especially 
to  sit  enthroned.,  as  a  sovereign  and  a  judge.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
ix.  5,  12  (4,  11.)*  The  phrase  may  therefore  be  said  to  repre- 
sent God  as  having  been  a  king  and  a  judge  from  the  remotest 
antiquity.  The  last  clause  is  by  some  supposed  to  mean,  that  the 
persons  here  referred  to  undergo  no  moral  change,  but  still  per- 
sist in  their  refusal  to  fear  God  ;  by  others,  that  they  undergo  no 
outward  changes,  no  vicissitudes  of  fortune,  and  for  that  reason 
will  not  fear  him.  But  as  the  word  translated  changes  is  repeat- 
edly employed  by  Job  in  a  military  sense,  to  signify  either    an 


36  PSALM    LV. 

alternate  service,  as  for  instance  in  relieving  guard,  or  a  succes- 
sion in  the  service,  as  when  one  corps  is  disbanded  and  another 
takes  its  place,  some  of  the  best  interpreters  suppose  this  clause 
to  mean  that  those  enlisted  in  this  evil  warfare  have  no  such 
reliefs  or  discharges  to  expect,  but  must  continue  in  the  unremit- 
ted service  of  sin,  and  as  a  necessary  consequence  cannot  fear 
God.  The  grammatical  structure  of  the  whole  verse  is  peculiar 
and  can  be  made  intelligible  only  by  supplying  the  ellipses. 

21  (20.)  He  has  stretched  out  his  hands  against  his. allies  ;  he 
has  'profaned  his  covenant.  This  might  seem  at  first  sight  to  refer 
to  God  ;  but  such  a  reference,  if  not  forbidden  by  the  nature  of 
the  acts  alleged,  would  be  at  variance  with  the  subsequent  con- 
text, where  the  subject  is  undoubtedly  the  wicked  enemy.  The 
sudden  change  of  number  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  usage 
of  the  Psalmists  in  speaking  of  their  enemies,  or  in  this  case  may 
arise  from  the  same  cause  as  in  v.  13  (12)  above.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  X.  10.  The  word  translated  allies  is  the  plural  of  one 
meaning  peace.,  but  seems  to  be  poetically  used  here  to  denote 
those  at  peace  with  him,  his  friends  or  allies.  Compare  the 
analogous  expressions  in  Ps.  vii.  5  (4.)  xli.  10  (9.)  To  prof  ant 
a,  covenant  is  to  treat  it  as  no  longer  sacred,  and  by  implication  to 
break  it.  Compare  Isai.  xxxiii.  8.  This  is  a  varied  repetition, 
under  military  figures,  of  the  description  in  v.  13-15  (12-14.) 

22  (21.)  Smooth  are  the  hutterings  of  his  mouth.,  and  (yet) 
-war  (is  in)  his  heart ;  soft  are  his  words.,  more  than  oil.,  and  (yet 
even)  they  are  drawn  {swords.)  To  the  charge  of  violence  he 
adds  that  of  treacherous  hypocrisy,  thus  amplifying  the  laconic 
phrase,  oppression  ami  deceit,  in  v.  12  (11)  above.  The  En- 
glivsh  Bible,  following  some  older  versions,  assimilates  the  clauses 
by  making  both  comparative,  smoother  tham,  butter,  softer  than  oil. 
But  in  order  to  sustain  this  construction  of  the  first  clause,  it  is 
necessary  to  change  the  pointing  of  one  Hebrew  word,  and   to 


PSALM   LV.  37 

snpply  another  as  the  nominative  of  the  plural  verb,  which  oan' 
not  without  violence  agree  with  mouth.  The  letter  prefixed  to 
the  first  noun  is  a  part  of  it,  and  not  a  particle  meaning  than  or 
moi'e  than.,  and  the  whole  word  denotes  preparations  of  butter, 
cream,  or  rather  curdled  milk,  which  is  the  meaning  of  the 
primitive  noun.  As  to  the  adversative  use  of  and  in  both  these 
clauses,  see  above,  on  v.  14  (13.)  War  (is  in)  hh  hearty  or 
still  more  simply,  because  not  requiring  the  insertion  of  the  par- 
ticle, war  (is)  his  heart,  i.  e.  his  cherished  wish  and  purpose. 
The  word  translated  war  is  a  poetical  term,  the  same  that  is  em- 
ployed above  in  v.  19  (18.)  In  the  last  clause,  even  is  supplied 
as  well  as  yet.,  in  order  to  convey,  as  far  as  possible,  the  emphasis 
of  the  Hebrew  pronoun.  And  they  themselves.,  i.  e.  the  very  oily 
words  just  mentioned,  are  drawn  swords.  This  last  expression  ia 
in  Hebrew  properly  an  adjective  or  participial  form,  but  is  speci- 
fically used  in  application  to  the  sword,  as  brandished  is  in  Eng- 
lish, and  so  comes  to  be  employed  absolutely  or  as  a  substantive, 
expressing  the  entire  complex  idea  o^  drawn  sivords.,2iS  weapons 
of  attack,  ready  for  use  or  on  the  point  of  being  used  forthwith 

23  (22.)  Cast  upon  Jehovah  {ivhat)  he  gives  thee.,  and  he  wiV 
tustain  thee;  he  will  nsver  suffer  the  righteous  to  be  moved 
What  he  gives  thee  to  endure,  what  he  lays  upon  thee,  cast  thou 
upon  him,  by  trusting  in  him.  The  phrase  he  gives  thee  (or  ha^ 
given  thee)  may  also  be  explained  as  a  noun  with  a  possessive  pro- 
noun, thy  gift,  not  in  the  active  sense  of  what  thou  givesf,  but  in 
the  passive  sense  of  tohat  is  given  to  thee.  Sustain  does  not  here 
mean  to  hold  up  or  support  under  the  burden,  but  to  nourish  or 
sustain  life  by  administering  food  and  other  necessaries,  to  provide 
for.  Compare  the  primitive  use  of  the  Hebrew  verb  in  Gen. 
xl.v.  11.  xlvii.  12.  1.  21.  The  common  version  of  the  last  clause 
above  given  is  a  correct  paraphrase  of  the  original,  the  'form  of 
which  is  highly  idiomatic.  A  literal  translation  would  be,  he  will 
not  give  forever  moving  (or  movemeni)to  the  rightecus.     The  verb 


38  '  PSALM  LVI 

^0  give  is  often  used  in  Hebrew  in  the  sense  of  allowing  or 
permitting'.  The  word  translated  mcwmg  is  the  one  so  oftcc 
used  to  signify  the  violent  distixrbance  rf  a  person  in  the  midst 
of  his  j)rosperitj.     See  above,  on  Ps.  x    6,  xvi.  8,  etc. 

24  (23. )  And  thou^  God^  ivilt  bring  them  down  to  the  jnt  of  cor- 
ru])tion;  men  of  blood  and  frmul  shall  not  live  out  half  their  days. 
The  first  verb  is  a  causative  and  as  such  may  be  rendered,  thou 
wilt  cause  them  to  descend.  The  word  translated  fit  is  the  com- 
mon terra  in  Hebrew  for  a  ■z/;c//,  but  is  here  used  in  a  wide  sense 
including  all  such  excavations.  The  next  word  is  (rnr)  a  deri- 
vative of  the  verb  (^D"^)  to  corrupt  or  destroy.  The  sense 
of  fit^  as  if  derived  from  the  verb  (n^lf)  to  sink^  would  convert 
the  phrase  into  a  weak  tautology.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  10. 
Men  of  bloods  and  deceit.,  i.  e.  bloody  (or  murderous)  and  de- 
ceitful men,  as  in  Ps.  v.  7  (6)  above.  The  literal  translation  of 
the  last  words  is,  they  shall  not  halve  their  days.,  a  form  of  ex- 
pression copied  in  the  mai-gin  of  the  English  Bible,  as  well  as  in 
the  Septuagint  {r^uioBiootoi)  and  Vulgate  (dimidiabunt.)  The 
meaning  of  course  is,  that  they  shall  not  live  half  so  long  as  they 
might  have  lived,  but  for  their  bloody  and  deceitful  acts.  This  is 
not  asserted  as  a  general  fact,  but  uttered  as  a  threatening  to  the 
murderers  and  traitors  whom  the  Psalmist  had  directly  in  his  eye. 


PSALM    LVI 


After  the  title,  v  1,  comes  a  general  petition  for  deliverauco 
from  persecution  and  oppression,  vs.  2,  3  (1,  2),  followed  by  a 
Btrong  expression  of  trust  in  God,  vs.  4,  5  (3,  4),  a  description 


PSALM   LVI  39 

&f  the  malice  of  the  enemy,  vs.  6,  7  (5,  6),  and  a  confident  an- 
ticipation   of    his     punishment,    vs.  8 — 10  (7 — 9),    founded  on 
faith   in  the   divine  promise,  vs.  11,  12  (10,  11),  and  a   vow  or 
resolution  to  make   due  acknowledgment  of  the   mercy   experi 
enced,  vs.  12,  13  (11,  12.) 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  Upon  Jonath-elem-rcholim.  By 
David.  Michtavi.  When  the  Philistines  took  him  in  Gath.  The 
last  clause  of  this  inscription  seems  to  refer  to  the  incident  re- 
corded in  1  Sam.  ch.  xxi.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiv.  1.  An  enig- 
matical allusion  to  the  same  event  seems  to  be  latent  in  the 
obscure  phrase,  Jonath-elem-rehokim^  in  which  the  first  word 
means  a  dove^  a  favourite  emblem  of  suffering  innocence  ;  the 
second  means  silence^  dun)bness,  sometimes  put  for  uncomplaining 
submission  ;  and  the  third  means  distant  or  remote.,  agreeing  with 
places  or  persons,  probably  the  latter,  in  which  sense  it  is  applic- 
able to  the  Philistines,  as  aliens  in  blood  and  religion.  Compare 
Ps.  xxxviii.  14  (13.)  Ivi.  2  (1.)  Ixv.  6  (5.)  Ixxiv.  19.  Thus 
understood,  the  whole  is  an  enigmatical  description  of  David  as 
an  innocent  and  uncomplaining  sufferer  among  strangers.  For 
the  most  probable  etymology  and  sense  of  Michlaniy  see  above, 
on  Ps.  xvi.  1. 

2  (1.)  Be  merciful  unto  me,  oh  God,  for  man  pants  for  me  (or 
IS  gaping  after  me)  ;  all  the  day,  he  devoiiring  (or  the  devour er) 
is  pressing  on  me.  The  word  for  man  is  that  denoting  human 
frailty  and  implj-ing  the  unreasonableness  of  such  rage  in  one  so 
impotent.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  20,  21  (19,20.)  x.  18.  The 
image  here  presented  is  that  of  a  devouring  monster  or  voracious 
beast.  Instead  of  pants  or  gapes,  some  suppose  the  second  verb 
to  mean  snorts  or  snaps,  as  an  animal  expression  of  rage.  For 
the  meaning  of  the  word  translated  devouring,  see  above,  on  Ps. 
K.xxv.  1.     Pressing  on  me,  or  pressing  me.     See  Num    xxii.  25 


40  PSALM    LVI. 

3  (2.)  My  enemies  have  gaped  upon  me  all  the  day  ;  for  (there 
are)  7nany  dcvourers  to  me,  oh  Most  High.  The  word  translated 
enemies  is  that  supposed  bj  some  to  mean  spies  or  watchers.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  11.  liv.  7(5.)  Having  first  spoken  of  his 
enemy  in  the  singular  number,  he  now  substitutes  the  plural,  to 
explain  which  seems  to  be  the  object  of  the  last  clause.  '  I  say 
enemies,  because  my  devourers  are  many,'  The  last  word  in  the 
verse  strictly  means  a  high  place,  and  particularly  heaven,  but  is 
sometimes  applied  to  God  himself.  See  below,  on  Ps.  xcii.  9  (8.) 
Some  interpreters,  however,  understand  it  as  an  abstract  noun 
meaning  loftiness  or  pride,  and  then  used  as  an  adverb  in  the 
sense  of  arrogantly,  proudly.     Compare  Ps.  Ixxiii.  8. 

4  (3.)  The  day  I  am  afraid,  unto  thee  will  I  confide.  The 
complaint  is  followed,  as  in  many  other  cases,  by  an  expression 
of  his  confidence  in  God.  The  day  I  am  afraid  is  an  unusual 
expression,  meaning  simply  ichen  I  am  afraid,  and  probably  be- 
longing to  the  dialect  of  poetry.  Unto  thee  suggests  the  act  of 
turning  and  looking  towards  the  quarter  from  which  help  is  ex 
pected.  The  same  form  of  expression  occurs  above,  Ps.  iv. 
6  (3.)  xxxi.  7  (6.) 

5  (4.)  In  God  I  will  praise  his  word,  in  God  I  have  trusted  , 
I  will  not  fear  ;  what  can  flesh  do  unto  me  ?  The  meaning  of  the 
first  clause  seems  to  be,  that  in  the  general  praise  of  God  he 
will  include  a  particular  acknowledgment  of  his  gracious  word  or 
.promise  upon  this  occasion.  The  construction  of  the  last  clause 
in  the  English  Bible,  /  ivill  not  fear  wJiat  flesh  can  do  unto  me, 
gives  substantially  the  same  sense,  but  does  not  agree  so  well 
with  the  masoretic  interpunction  of  the  sentence.  Flesh,  hu- 
manity, as  opposed  to  deity.  See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixv  3  (2),  and 
compare  Isai.  xxxi.  3.  xl.  6. 

G  (5  )  All  the  day  my  words  they  wrest ;  against   me  {are)  all 


PSALM   LVI.  41 

thet'^  thoughts  for  evil.  The  word  translated  wrest  means  strictly 
vex  or  jpam^  but  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  twisting  or  distorting 
language  by  putting  false  constructions  on  it.  Thoughts^  pur- 
poses, designs.     For  evilj  tending  to  my  injury. 

7  (6.)  They  will  gather^  they  icill  hide — they^  my  supplanters, 
will  watchj  as  they  have  (already)  waited  for  my  soul.  They  will 
gather  or  combine  against  me.  They  will  hide  (themselves  or 
their  devices)  they  will  plot,  or  lie  in  wait,  for  my  destruction. 
The  common  explanation  of  the  next  phrase,  they  mark  my  steps 
or  my  heels,  does  not  account  for  the  emphatic  pronoun  they.  The 
Hebrew  word  has  probably  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps.  xlix.  6  (5) 
above.      Waited  for  my  soul  or  life,  i.  e.  waited  to  destroy  it. 

8  (7.)  By  iniquity  (there  is)  escape  to  them ;  in  anger  bring 
down  nations,  oh  God  !  The  first  clause  is  obscure,  but  may 
mean  either  that  they  have  hitherto  escaped  by  their  iniquity,  or 
that  they  now  depend,  rely  upon  it  for  deliverance.  The  inter- 
rogative construction  commonly  adopted  ought  not  to  be  assum- 
ed, in  the  absence  of  an  interrogative  particle,  without  a  decided 
exegetical  necessity.  The  Hebrew  particle  at  the  beginning 
sometimes  indicates  the  means  or  histrument,  with  the  additional 
idea  of  dependence  or  reliance,  as  in  the  English  phrase  to  live 
on  bread  and  water.     See  Gen.  xxvii.  40. 

9  (8.)  My  ^canderings  thou  hast  told ;  put  tfiou  my  tears  into 
ihy  bottle  ;  are  they  not  in  thy  book  1  The  Hebrew  words  for 
wanderings  and  tears  are  both  in  the  singular  number.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  vi.  7  (6)  xxxix.  13  (12.)  The  first  of  these  words  sug- 
gests the  ideas  of  flight  and  exile,  and  may  contain  an  allusion  to 
the  wanderings  of  Cain  in  a  country  designated  by  this  very 
TTord,  the  Land  of  Nod.,  Gen,  iv.  16,  although  this  phrase  may 
really  mean  nothing  more  than  the  land  of  {his)  banishment  or 
txUe.     The  English  word  told  is  here  retained  because  the  Ho* 


42  PSALM   LVI. 

brew  one  is  equally  ambiguous.  In  this  case  the  primary  idea  ia 
to  count  or  number.  See  above,  Ps.  xxii.  17  (16.)  d.  5  (4) 
xlviii.  13  (12.)  The  act  of  counting  implies  particular  atten- 
tion. The  idea  of  recollection  is  expressed  by  the  strong  figure 
which  follows,  2)iU  my  tears  into  thy  hotth^  i.  e.  preserve  them  in 
thy  memory.  This  singular  metaphor  is  thought  by  some  to  have 
been  suggested  by  the  word  for  wandering  (ij  or  li::,)  which  is 
almost  identical  with  that  for  lottle  {'^h)  The  latter  stiictly 
means  a  skin  or  leathern  bottle,  such  as  is  still  used  in  the  East. 
See  below,  on  Ps.  cxix.  S3.  The  interrogation  in  the  last  clause 
has  the  force  of  a  direct  assertion.  Thy  hook^  the  book  of  thy 
remembrance,  another  figurative  expression  for  the  memory  itself. 
Compare  Mai.  iii.   16. 

10  (9.)  Then  shall  my  enemies  turn  bacJc,  in  the  day  I 
call;  this  I  knoiv^  that  God  is  for  me.  The  particle  of  time 
at  the  beginning  of  the  verse  has  reference  to  what  fol- 
lows, in  the  day  I  call^  but  as  this  was  to  be  connected  closel}'" 
with  the  last  clause,  the  natural  order  of  the  sentence  was  in- 
verted. Turn  hack.,  be  repulsed,  defeated,  disappointed.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  vii.  12  (11.)  ix.  4  (3.)  In  the  day  [that)  I  shall 
call :  the  ellipsis  of  the  relative  is  equally  common  in  Hebrew 
and  in  English.  Call  may  mean  simply  call  for  help  or  jpray  ;  but 
Bome  connect  it  with  the  last  clause  thus  :  in  the  day  thai  I  shall 
call  (or  cry  as  follows)  "  Mis  I  know ^^"^  etc.  There  is  also  an  am- 
biguity in  the  phrase  this  I kiioio.,  which  may  either  mean,  'I 
know  that  my  enemies  shall  thus  turn  back,  because  God  is  for 
me,'  or,  '  my  enemies  shall  turn  back  when  they  hear  me  cry. 
This  much  1  know,  to  wit,  that  God  is  for  me.'  The  last  phrase 
m.'iy  be  also  rendered  to  me.,  he  belongs  to  me,  he  is  my  God, 
which  of  course  includes  the  idea  of  his  favour  or  his  being  on 
iie  speaker's  side. 

11  (10.)   In  God  I  will  praise  (this)  word  ;  in  Jehdvah  I  will 


PSALM   LVI.  43 

fraise  (this)  wo'd.  This  unusual  form  of  speech  must  have  the 
Bame  sense  as  In  v.  5  (4)  above.  Some  understaud  it  to  mean  hy 
God''s  kelp,  others,  in  union  tcith  God^  I  will  praise  (/lis)  luo^-d. 
But  on  the  whole,  the  most  natural  explanation  still  seems  to  be, 
'  what  I  shall  particularly  praise  in  God,  both  as  God,  and  as  the 
tutelary  God  of  Israel  and  my  own,  is  the  word  of  promise, 
which  he  has  uttered  and  fulfilled  in  this  case  '  * 

12  (11.;  In  Cod  have  I  trusted ;  I  -will  not  fear  ;  what  car, 
man  do  wn^^  w  ^  As  the  foregoing  verse  is  a  resumption  and 
emphatic  iteration  of  the  Ifirst  clause  of  v.  5  (4),  so  this  seems  to 
bear  the  sauie  relation  to  the  last  clause  of  that  same  verse.  The 
only  variation  in  the  form  of  expression  is  the  substitution 
of  the  literal  term  man  (or  mankind)  for  the  more  obscure 
term  Jlesh.  See  above,  on  v.  5  (4.)  Here  again  it  is  a  possi- 
ble construction,  although  not  so  agreeable  to  the  masoretic 
accents,  to  make  the  interrogation  an  oblique  one.  'I  will  not 
fear  what  man  can  do  unto  me.' 

13  (12.)  Vfion  mc,  oh  God,  (are)  thy  vo2cs ;  I  will  pay 
thanksgiving  unto  thee.  The  first  clause  represents  his  vows  or 
voluntary  obhi);ations  as  incumbent  on  himself  and  due  to  God, 
and  he  resolves  to  discharge  them  by  thanksgivings,  not  merely 
verbal  acknowiedg:ments,  but  sacrificial  tokens  of  his  gratitude, 
Buch  as  were  familiar  to  the  ancient  saints  and  recognised  in  the 
Law  of  Moses. 

14  (13.)  For  thou  hast  delivered  my  soul  from  death;  (wilt 
thou)  not  {deliver)  my  feet  from  falling,  to  ivalk  before  God 
in  the  light  of  life?  The  ellipsis  in  the  second  clause  may  also 
be  supplied  as  follows,  hast  thou  not  delivered,  as  the  only  terms 
expressed  are  those  of  interrogation  and  negation.  The  word 
translated /rtZ/zTzo-  is  a  very  strong  one  and  means  thrusting,  cast* 
hig  down.     The  verbal  root  occurs  above,  in  Ps.  xxxv.  5.  xxxvi 


44  PSALM   LVII. 

13  (12.)  To  walk  hefore  God  is  to  live  in  tlie  enjoyment  of  his 
favour  and  protection.  The  light  of  life  is  opposed  to  the  dark- 
ness of  death.  It  may  also  be  and  usually  is  translated,  in  tht 
light  of  the  living^  i.  e.  the  light  which  living  men  enjoy.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  13. 


PSALM    L  YIl. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  psalm  a  sufferer  describes  his  own 
afflictions,  occasioned  by  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  and  earnestly 
prays  to  be  delivered  from  them,  vs.  2 — 5  (1 — 4.)  In  the 
second,  he  anticipates  a  favourable  answer  to  his  prayer,  and 
praises  God  for  it,  vs.  6 — 12  (5 — 11.) 

1.  To  the.  Chief  Mmician.  Destroy  not.  By  David.  A 
Secret.  When  he  fed  from  hefore  Saul  in  the  cave.  The  enig- 
matical inscription,  Al-tashheth.,  destroy  nct^  reappears  in  the  titles 
of  the  next  two  psalms  and  of  the  seventy-fifth.  As  in  other 
cases  of  the  same  kind,  some  interpreters  regard  it  as  a  musical 
expression,  others  as  the  first  words  of  a  well-known  poem,  to 
the  air  of  which  this  was  to  be  sung.  The  best  explanatioil  is 
the  one  suggested  by  the  Chaldee  Paraphrase,  to  wit,  that  the 
Psalms  which  bear  this  title  belong  to  that  period  of  David's 
history,  when  he  was  under  the  perpetual  necessity  of  saying  De- 
stroy  not.,  and  are  therefore  suited  to  all  similar  emergencies  of  other 
saints.  It  is  not  at  all  impossible,  that  this  was  a  favourite  saying 
of  David  in  real  life,  the  rather  as  it  is  borrowed  from  the  prayer 
of  Moses  in  Deut.  ix.  26,  of  which  it  may  be  said  to  be  an  abbre- 
evlated  citation,  not  unlike  the  Latin  designations,  De  Profitndis^ 
Miserere^  Venite  Ex'^^iUe.muSy  Non  Nobis  Do/nine,  Te  Deura^  etc 


PSALM    LVII.  45 

The  explanation  above  given  is  corroborated  by  the  obvious  allusioa 
in  these  three  psahns  (Ivii — lix)  to  the  Sauline  persecution.  The 
very  expression  may  be  traced  in  1  Sam.  xxvi.  9,  where  David  utters, 
as  a  command  to  his  followers,  what  he  so  often  had  occasion  to  ut- 
ter as  a  prayer  in  his  own  behalf.  The  psalm  is  described  as  a  mich- 
^am,  mystery,  or  secret,  on  account  of  the  extraordinary  consolation 
and  support  which  he  experienced,  enabling  him  to  triumph  even  in 
the  midst  of  enemies  and  dangers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  16:1.  In  the 
cave  of  Adullam  (1  Sam.  xxii.  1),  or  of  Engedi  ( 1  Sam.  xvi.  1 — 3), 
or  more  indefinitely  in  the  cave^  equivalent  to  saying  in  caves,  as  a 
generic  description  of  the  mode  of  life  which  he  then  led  (Heb.  xi. 
38),  not  without  some  reference  to  the  subterraneous  cavern,  as  an 
emblem  of  solitude  and  darkn(>ss.  Hence  the  absence  of  any  more 
specific  allusion  to  particular  incidents  which  occurred  in  caves, 
Fuch  as  that  recorded  in  1  Sam.  xxiv,  and  the  obvious  reference  to 
the  whole  period  of  the  Sauline  persecution,  as  a  time  of  wander- 
ing, danger,  and  distress.  Hence,  too,  the  striking  similarity,  in 
sentiment  aiid  form,  between  this  psalm  and  the  one  before  it. 

2(1.)  lie  Merciful  unto  me,  oh  God,  be  mercifid  unto  me^fo'^' 
in  thee  has  my  soul  sought  refuge,  and  in  the  shadow  of  thy  ivin^s 
will  I  seek  refuge,  until  (these)  calamities  be  overpast.  The 
repetition  of  the  prayer  for  mercy  shows  the  intensity  of  his  de- 
gii-e.  Sought  refuge  from  the  persecutions  mentioned  in  Ps. 
Ivi.  2  (l.j  Thz  soul  is  mentioned  as  the  object  of  pursuit.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  liv.  5  (4.)  Ivi.  7  (6),  and  compare  1  Sam.  xxiv. 
12.  (11.)  The  shadow  of  thy  wings  :  the  same  beautiful  figure  for 
protection  is  presented  in  Ps.  xvii.  8.  xxxvi.  8  (7.)  Calamities^ 
occasioned  by  the  crimes  v^f  others.  See  above,  on  Ps.  lii. 
4,9(2,7.) 

3  (2.)  /  will  cry  unto  God  Most  High,  unto  the  Almighty^ 
finishing  for  me^  i.  e.  perfecting  what  he  has  begun.  Compare 
Phil.  i.  6.     This  verse  assigns  two  reasons  for  his  crying  unto 


JQ  PSALM    LVII. 

God.  The  first  is  the  supremacy  and  omnipotence  of  God  him 
self,  the  second  is  the  previous  experience  of  his  faithfulness  in 
fully  performing  whatever  he  has  promised.  See  below,  on  Ps. 
cxxxviii.  8. 


4  (3.)  He  will  send  f  7' om  heaven  and  save  me — (when  or  whom) 
the  devourer  reviles^  Selah! — God  will  send  his  mercy  and  his 
truth.  The  first  verb  may  govern  hand,  as  in  Ps.  cxliv.  7,  or 
kelpy  as  in  Ps.  xx.  3  (2),  or  be  used  absolutely,  as  in  Ps.  xviii. 
17  (16.)  The  devourer  J  literally  the  one  gaping  after  me,  snort- 
ing with  rage  against  me,  or  panting  for  my  destruf^tion.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  2,  3  (1,  2.)  Without  supplying  anything, 
this  clause  may  be  taken  as  a  short  independent  proposition — 
the  devourer  has  reviled — interposed  between  the  two  principal 
members  of  the  sentence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  8.  xlv.  6  (5.) 
In  the  last  clause,  Mercy  and  Truth  seem  to  be  personified,  like 
Integrity  and  Uprightness  in  Ps.  xxv.  21,  Violence  and  Strife  in 
Ps.  Iv.  10  (9.)     With  this  clause  compare  Ps.  xliii.  3. 

5  (4.)  My  sold  (is)  in  the  midst  of  lions;  I  will  lie  down 
(among)  hurning  ones ^  sons  of  man,  (whose)  tuth  [are)  spears 
and  arrows,  and  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword.  By  his  soul  he 
means  himself,  or  rather  his  endangered  life.  Lions,  as  often 
elsewhere,  means  ferocious  enemies.  See  abr-.ve^  on  Ps.  vii. 
3  (2.;  xxii.  13,14  fl2,  13.j  The  form  of  the  verb  which  fol- 
lows is  the  one  denoting  fixed  determination.  ^  Tiiougti  surround- 
ed by  lions  I  will  fearlessly  lie  down,  etc'  Among  or  upon  them. 
Burning  niay  possibly  refer  to  lions  and  mean  raging  ;  but  the 
indefinite  application  is  more  natural.  Sons  of  man  fg  added  to  show 
that  what  precedes  is  to  be  figuratively  understood  ;  but  in  the  very 
next  clause,  the  writer  relapses  into  language  still  more  highly 
metaphorical.  In  likening  their  teeth  to  swords  he  T>resents  tho 
double  image  of  a  wild  beast  and  a  warrior.  The  mention  of  the 
tongue  has  reference,  no  doubt,  to  the  slander  and  abuse,  which 


<^ 


PSALM    LYll,  4-7 

entered  so  largely  into  the  Sauline  persecutions.  These  had 
already  been  referred  to  in  the  middle  clause  of  v.  4  (3),  of  which 
this  may  be  regaided  as  an  amplification. 

6  {5  )  Be  high  above  the  heavens^  ok  God,  above  all  the  earth 
thy  glory  !  Some,  in  the  last  clause,  read  on  all  the  earth  and 
then  explain  on  the  heavens  to  mean  nothing  more  than  in  heaven. 
The  whole  verse  then  is  the  expression  of  a  wish  that  Grod  may 
be  exalted  both  in  heaven  and  earth.  But  this  is  far  less  natural 
than  the  usual  construction,  which  supposes  a  comparison,  and 
makes  the  verse  exalt  God  above  all  his  works.  Compare  Ps 
viii.  2(1.)  •      . 

7  (6.)  A  net  they  prepared  for  my  steps  ;  he  pressed  down  my 
soul ;  they  digged  before  me  a  pit ;  they  fell  into  the  midst  of  it. 
Selak.  This  verse  assigns  the  reason  or  occasion  of  the  praise 
ascribed  to  God  in  that  before  it.  The  image  here  presented  is 
the  same  as  in  Ps.  vii.  16  (15.)  ix.  10  (15.)  The  sudden  change 
of  number  is  particularly  common  in  the  psalms  when  speaking 
of  an  ideal  person,  representing  many  real  individuals.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  ivi.  3  (2.)  The  phrase  pressed  doion  is  borrowed 
from  the  Prayer  Book  version,  and  is  well  suited  to  convey  the 
vdea  of  an  animal  caught  and  held  down  by  a  trap  or  snare. 
That  version  is  also  more  correct  than  the  English  Bible  in  giv- 
ing to  the  verb  an  active  meaning  ;  of  the  neuter  or  passive  there 
is  no  example  elsewhere.  Before  me,  in  my  path,  where  I  am 
walking.  The  Selah  at  the  close  is  almost  equivalent  to  an 
Amen,  as  expressing  acquiescence  in  God's  rigiiteous  retributions. 

8  (7.)  Fixed  {is)  my  heart,  oh  God,  fixed  (is)  my  heart ;  I  ivill 
nvg  and  play.  The  repetition  adds  solemnity  and  force  to  the 
declaration.  Fix-ed.^  i.  o.  firmly  resolved  and  proof  against  all 
fear.  See  above,  on  Ps.  li.  12  (10.)  and  belo^r  on  Ps.  cxii.  7.  Tho 
two    verbs   in    the   last    clause    are  properly    descriptive    of  tho 


48  PSALM    LVII. 

twc  kinds  of  music,  vocal  and  instrumental ;   but  in  the  usage  of 
the  psalms  they  always  have  reference  to- the  pvaise  of  God 

9  (8.)  Awake  my  glory  !  awake  lute  and  harp  !  I loill  awaken 
morning.  The  same  idea  is  now  expressed  in  the  form  of  a  poet- 
ical apostrophe  By  glory  most  interpreters  understand  the  srmZ, 
as  the  glory  of  the  whole  man,  but  some  the  tongue^  as  the  glory 
of  the  body.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  6.  (5.)  xvi.  9.  xxx.  13,  and 
below,  on  Ps.  cviii.  2  (1.)  It  is  possible  however  that  it  here 
means  that  in  which  he  gloried,  his  inspiration  as  a  sacred  poet, 
and  which  he  personifies,  as  the  heathen  poets  invoked  the  muse. 
Lute  and  harp  is  the  translation  in  the  Prayer  Book.  Any  other 
combination,  denoting  two  familiar  instruments,  such  as  harp  and 
lyrCy  would  be  here  appropriate.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  is 
a  causative  of  that  in  the  first,  and  is  related  to  it  as  the  English 
verb  awaken  to  awake.  Strictly  translated,  this  clause  contains 
a  bold  but  beautiful  poetical  conception,  that  of  awakening  the 
dawn  instead  of  being  awakened  by  it,  in  other  words,  preventing 
or  anticipating  it  by  early  praises.  In  like  manner,  Ovid  says 
the  crowing  of  the  cock  ecocat  auroram.  We  thus  obtain  the 
Bame  sense,  in  a  far  more  striking  form,  than  is  expressed  by  the 
inexact  and  prosaic  version,  I  will  awake  early.  The  intransi- 
tive sense  given  to  the  verb,  and  the  adverbial  sense  given  to  the 
noun,  are  both  without  sufficient  authority  in  usage.  From  this 
verse  some  have  inferred,  that  the  psalm  was  expressly  designed  to 
be  an  even-song  ;  but  he  does  not  say,  I  will  do  thus  to-morrow. 
The  meaning  rather  is  that  he  will  do  it  daily.  See  above,  on  Ps, 
xvii.  15.  The  summons  to  the  harp  and  lyre  may  be  understood 
as  implying,  that  they  have  long  slept  without  occasion  for  such 
praise  as  they  are  now  to  utter. 

10  19.)  I  will  thank  thee  among  the  nations ^  Lord ;  I  will 
praise  thee  among  the  peoples      The   divine   interpositiou  to  ba 


PSALM   LVTII.  49 

celebrated  is  so  great  and  glorious  as  to  be  entitled  to  the  praises 
of  the  whole  world.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  50  (49.) 

11  (10.)  For  great  unto  theheavens  (is)  thy  mercy,  and  unto  live 
clouds  thy  truth.  By  a  natural  and  favourite  hyperbole,  God"'s 
goodness  is  described  as  reaching  from  earth  to  heaven.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  6  (5),  and  compare  Jer.  li.  9. 

12  (11.)  Be  thou  high  above  the  heavens^  oh  God.,  above  all  the 
earth  thy  glory  !  The  strophe  ends  as  it  began  in  v.  6  (5) 
above.  In  the  last  clause  the  verb  of  the  first  may  be  repeated 
be  thy  glory  high  ;  or  the  substantive  verb  alone  may  be  supplied, 
let  thy  glc^y  be  above  all  the  earth  ! 


PSALM    LYIIf. 

1  To  the  Chief  Musician.  Al-tashheth.  By  David.  Mich- 
tarn.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  1.  The  Psalmist  complains  of  un- 
just, spiteful,  hardened  enemies,  vs.  2 — 6  (1 — 5),  and  prays  that 
their  power  may  be  broken,  vs.  7 — 12  (6 — lit)  The  contents 
of  the  psalm  agree  with  its  title  in  showing  that  it  belongs  to  the 
period  of  Saul's  persecutions,  when  David  had  to  contend  with 
unjust  rulers,  who  were  at  the  same  time  his  personal  enemies. 
But  although  suggested  by  his  own  experience,  the  psalm  was 
designed  for  permanent  and  public  use,  and  is  therefore  inscribed 
to  the  Chief  Musician. 

2  (1.)   Are  ye  indeed  dumb  (when)  ye   (should)  sjpeak  rtgM 
eousness  (and)  judge  equitably.,  sons  of  vian  ?     The  first  words 

VOL.    II.  3 


5t|  PSALM  LVIII. 

are  exceedingly  obscure.  One  of  them  (o'by!),  not  expressed  iQ 
the  English  and  the  ancient  versions,  means  dumbness,  as  in  Ps 
Ivi.  1,  and  seems  to  be  here  used  as  a  strong  expression  for  e^i- 
tlrely  speechless.  In  what  respect  they  were  thus  dumb,  is  irdi- 
cated  by  the  verb  which  follows,  but  the  connection  can  be  made 
clear  in  English  only  by  a  circumlocution.  The  interrogation, 
are  ye  indeed,  expresses  wonder,  as  at  something  scarcely  credi- 
ble. Can  it  be  so }  is  it  possible }  are  you  really  silent,  you 
whose  very  office  is  to  speak  for  God  and  against  the  sins  of 
men  }  See  Deut.  i.  16,  17.  That  the  speaking  here  meant  is 
judicial  speaking,  appears  from  the  more  specific  parallel  expres- 
sion. The  word  translated  equitably  is  a  plural  noun  meaning 
equities  or  rectitudes.  See  above,  on  Ps,  xvii.  2.  Strictly  un- 
derstood, it  is  not  a  qualifying  term,  but  the  object  of  the  verb 
iudge,  as  in  the  other  clause  righteousness  is  governed  directly 
by  the  verb  sjpeak.  The  address  to  them  as  svns  of  man  reminds 
them  of  their  own  dependence  and  responsibility. 

3  (2.)  Nay,  in  heart,  iniquities  ye  practise;  in  the  land,  the 
violence  of  your  hands  ye  weigh.  Tlie  particle  at  the  beginning 
is  as  usual  emphatic,  meaning,  not  only  this  but  something  more. 
See  above,  Ps.  xviii.  49  (48.)  xliv.  10  (9.)  Not  contented  with 
neglecting  their  official  functions,  they  werf*  guilty  of  positive 
injustice.  The  Hebrew  for  iniquities  is  the  plural  of  a  word 
used  in  Ps.  xxxvii.  1.  xliii.  1,  and  denotes  various  acts  of  injus- 
tice. The  future  forms  (ye  will  do,  ye  will  weigh)  implies  au 
obstinate  persistency  in  evil.  To  do  or  practise  wickedness  in 
heart  may  mean  to  plan  or  contrive  it,  as  in  Mic.  ii.  1,  leaving 
the  execution  to  be  inferred  as  a  matter  of  course.  Or  the 
phiase  may  be  translated  with  the  heart,  i.  e.  cordially,  ex  animo^ 
con  amort,  or  to  use  an  idiomatic  English  expression,  with  a  will 
The  first  words  of  the  last  clause,  in  the  land,  may  seem,  from 
their  position,  to  be  in  contrast  with  the  phrase  in  heart;  but 
the  antithesis,  if  any,  is  between  the  heart  and  hands,  aa4  in  the 


PSALM    LVIll  51 

kind  suggests  the  aggravating  circumstance,  that  all  this  was 
practised  by  persons  in  authority  under  the  theocracy,  among  the 
chosen  people.  Violence^  violent  injustice.  See  above,  on  Ps 
Iv.  10  (9.)  The  last  verb  in  this  sentence  means  to  level  or 
make  even,  and  in  that  sense  is  repeatedly  applied  to  paths.  See 
Jsai.  xxvi.  7.  Prov.  iv.  26.  v.  6,21.  But  as  the  derivative  noun 
(Dp5)  means  a  balance  (Prov.  xvi.  11.  Isai.  xl.  12),  the  verb 
may  here  denote  the  act  of  weighing ,  levelling  the  balance,  ren- 
dering it  even,  which  some  without  necessity  ascribe  to  it  in 
several  of  the  places  above  cited,  where  its  constant  combination 
with  a  way  or  path  seems  to  exclude  the  idea  of  weighing  as  in- 
congruous, and  to  require  that  of  smoothing  or  levelling  as  pe- 
culiarly appropriate.  This  last  might  be  retained  even  hero 
and  the  metaphor  be  understood  to  mean  that  they  facilitated  or 
promoted  violence  (q.  d.  levelled  or  prepared  its  way)  ;  but  the 
sense  of  weighing  is  equally  appropriate  and  agrees  well  with  the 
favourite  idea  of  the  scales  of  justice,  which  is  found  not  only  in 
the  classics  but  in  Scripture.  See  Job  xxxi.  6.  The  meaning  then 
is,  that  these  wicked  rulers,  instead  of  weighing  out  justice  to 
their  subjects,  weighed  out,  administered,  dispensed,  the  most 
violent  injustice,  and  that  too  devised  and  practised  by  them 
selves. 

4(3.)  Estranged  are  Ihe  ivicled  from  the  ivomh ;  they  go 
astray  from  (their)  hirth,  speaking  lies.  The  first  verb  in 
Hebrew  is  not  a  passive  but  a  neuter  form,  denoting  the  con- 
dition of  estrangement,  alienation,  from  God  and  from  all  good- 
ness. The  icicked  thus  described  are  the  whole  class,  of  which 
his  persecutors  formed  a  part.  The  preterite  tense  is  used  in  the 
original  {ivere  estravged,  vent  astray)  on  account  of  the  retro- 
spective reference  to  the  beginning  of  life.  The  verb  translated 
go  astray  is  one  frequently  applied  to  moral  aberrations.  From 
iheir  birth ,  literally, /7-07;i  the  belly.  See  above,  Ps.  xxii.  11  (10.) 
Sjpeaking   lies.,  or    with  closer   adherence   to    the  form  of    the 


5te  PSALM   LVIII. 

orio-inal,  speakers  of  falsehood,  i.  e.hahitual  liars.  The  other 
version  seems  to  mean  that  they  hegin  to  lie  as  soon  as  they  are 
horn,  a  hyperholical  expression,  of  which  some  interpreters  re- 
lieve the  sentence  hy  making  this  the  subject  of  the  proposition 
and  parallel  to  wicked  in  the  other  clause.  Speakers  of  fa  he- 
hood  go  astray  from  (their)  hirlh.  In  this  description  of  the 
wicked  there  is  nothing  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  of  univer- 
sal depravity,  as  recognised  in  Ps.  xiv.  1.  li.  7  (5)  above,  and  in 
Gen.  viii.  21.  Job  xiv.  4,  because  the  holiness  of  some  men  is  a 
mere  exception  to  the  general  rule,  produced  by  the  distinguish- 
ing grace  of  God,  which  frees  them  from  the  paramount  influ- 
ence of  that  corruption  to  which  others  still  continue  subject. 

5,  6  (4,  5.)  There  is  poison  to  them  like  the  poison  of  a  serpent, 
as  a  deaf  adder  stops  its  ear,  which  loill  not  hearken  to  the  voict 
of  enchanters,  of  (one)  charming  charms,  (of  one)  most  ivise.  The 
first  words  are  equivalent  to  the  English  construction,  they  hare 
foison.  The  Hebrew  noun  originally  signifies  heat,  and  especially 
the  heat  of  anger,  in  which  sense  it  repeatedly  occurs  above,  Ps. 
vi.  2  (1.)  xxxvii.  S.  xxxviii.  2  (1.)  The  same  sense  is  retained 
here  by  the  ancient  versions  {Ovfidg,  furor),  and  agrees  well 
with  the  popular  idea  of  vindictive  spite,  as  a  natural  instinct  of 
this  class  of  animals.  But  most  interpreters  explain  the  word, 
here  and  in  Deut.  xxxii.  24,  as  meaning  venom,  animal  poison, 
so  called  from  its  inflammatory  efi'ccts  upon  the  person  bitten 
The  Hebrew  phrase  translated  like  means  strictly  after  (or  ac- 
cording  to)  the  likeness  of.  Compare  its  use  in  Gen.  i.  26.  It 
may  be  here  employed,  instead  of  the  simple  particle  of  com- 
parison, for  the  sake  of  emphasis,  as  we  say  like,  but  more  empha> 
iiQAWy  jmt  like.  As  to  the  species  of  serpent  mentioned  in  the 
second  clause  of  v.  5  (4),  all  that  is  necessary  to  a  correct  inter- 
pretation of  the  verse  is  to  understand  it  as  denoting  a  variety 
regarded  as  peculiarly  malignant,  and  therefore  resisting  the  in- 
cantations  by  which   other  species   were  subdued,  especially  it 


PSALM   LVllI.  53 

Egypt.  See  the  allusions  to  this  practice  in  Eccl.  x.  11.  *er. 
viii.  17.  This  clause  admits  of  a  different  construction,  like  tlit 
deof  adder  he  stops  his  ear^  which  some  interpreters  prefer  be- 
cause  an  adder  cannot  stop  its  ears,  and  need  not  stop  them  if 
naturally  deaf,  whereas  it  is  by  stopping  his  that  the  wicked  man 
becomes  like  a  deaf  adder.  The  word  translated  enchanters  pro- 
perly means  whisperers  or  mutterers^  in  allusion  to  familiar  prac- 
tices of  the  ancient  wizards.  C/iarming  charms^  laying  spells, 
or  as  the  Hebrew  words  are  commonly  supposed  to  signify 
originally,  tyiTig  knots  with  a  magical  design.  The  last  word  in 
V.  G  (5)  is  a  passive  participle,  analogous  to  our  word  learned^  and 
here  meaning  skilful.  The  English  versions  and  the  Vulgate 
make  it  an  adverb  {sa^pienter^  never  so  wisely  ;)  but  the  Septua- 
gint  and  Jerome  give  it  its  proper  meaning  as  an  adjective,  in 
which  case  it  is  probably  in  apposition  with  the  nouns  preceding, 
and  connected  in  like  manner  with  the  voice  of  the  first  clause. 
The  general  idea  of  the  verse,  however  construed,  is  that  the 
malice  of  his  enemies  is  stubborn  and  inexorable. 

7  (6.)  Oh  God,  crush  their  teeth  in  their  mouth  ;  the  grimier  $ 
of  the  young  lions  shatter,  oh  Jehovah !  The  complaint  is 
now  followed  by  a  prayer,  that  these  ferocious  enemies  may  be 
disarmed  and  disabled.  This  idea  is  expressed  by  the  use  of  the 
same  figure  as  in  Ps.  iii.  8  (7),  that  of  wild  beasts  rendered 
harmless  by  the  breaking  of  their  teeth.  Compare  Job  xxix.  17. 
Hence  in  the  last  clause  they  are  expressly  called  lions.  See 
above,  Ps.  Ivii.  5  (4.)  You7ig  lions,  not  mere  whelps,  from  which 
they  are  distinguished  in  Ezek.  xix.  2,  3,  but  full-grown  lions,  in 
the  first  maturity  of  their  strength,  and  therefore  mor&  to  ba 
dreaded  than  when  older  or  younger.  See  above,  Ps.  xvii.  12. 
xxxiv.  11  (10.)  XXXV.  17.  The  Hebrew  verbs  in  this  verse  aio 
peculiarly  expressive,  and,  though  wholly  unconnected  with  each 
Cipher,  are  both  used  elsewhere  to  express  the  ideas  of  violently 
breaking,  breaking  down,  breaking  out,  breaking  off,  and  break- 


64  PSALM   LVTII. 

ing  through.     See  Ex.  xv.  7.  xix.  21.  Lev.  xiv.  45    Judg.  \'i.  30 
1  Kings  xviii.  30. 

8  (7.)  Ld  them  melt  away  as  waters^  let  them  go  their  loay, 
lei  him  lend  his  arroics,  as  if  they  were  cut  ojf.  The  optativo 
meaning  of  these  futures  seems  to  be  determined  by  the  imper- 
atives in  V.  7  (6.)  There  is  nothing  ungrammatical,  however, 
in  retaining  the  strict  future  sense,  and  regarding  the  verse  as  au 
expression  of  strong  confidence  as  to  the  event.  The  first  verb 
elsewhere  has  the  sense  of  being  rejected  with  contempt,  and  is 
so  used  in  Ps.  xv.  9  ;  but  as  two  of  its  radical  letters  coincide 
with  those  of  a  verb  meaning  to  be  melt.^d,  most  interpreters 
prefer  this  sense.  The  other  might  however  be  retained,  and 
the  phrase  explained  to  mean  that  they  should  be  cast  aside  as 
water,  and  especially  as  filthy  water,  is  rejected.  Go  their  way, 
literally,  go  to  them  or  to  themselves.  Some  understand  it  to 
mean/cr  themselves,  i.  e.  for  their  own  benefit,  their  destruction 
being  represented,  by  a  sort  of  irony,  as  all  that  they  have 
gained  by  their  hostility.  Compare  the  use  of  the  same  phrase 
in  Ps.  Ixiv.  6  (o.)  Ixvi.  7  (6.)  In  the  next  clause,  most  inter- 
preters assume  a  sudden  change  of  number,  such  as  frequently 
occurs  in  speaking  of  an  ideal  person  representing  a  plurality  of 
real  individuals.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  4,  7  (3,  6.)  He  (i.  e. 
the  enemy)  shall  lend  his  arrows,  literally,  f.read  them,  i.  e.  bend 
by  treading  on  them.  This  expression  is  applicable  strictly  to 
the  bow,  and  it  is  so  applied  repeatedly  above.  See  Ps.  vii. 
13  (12.)  xi.  2.  xxxvii.  14.  Having  thus  acquired  the  secondary 
gense  of  fitting,  making  ready,  it  is  transferred  from  the  bow  to 
the  arrows,  not  only  here  but  in  Ps.  Ixiv.  4  (3)  below.  If  the 
last  verb  be  construed  with  the  arrows  as  its  subject,  they  would 
seem  to  be  described  as  blunted  or  deprived  of  their  points,  ;and 
the  meaning  of  the  clause  is,  that  the  weapons  of  the  enemy 
take  no  effect.  The  whole  clause,  however,  will  admit  of  a  dif- 
fer ont  construction,  which  refers  the  singular  verb  and  pronoun 


PSALM   LVlll.  55 

to  God  himself,  and  the  plural  verb  to  these  rebellious  sinners. 
Let  hfm  bend  his  arrows,  as  if  they  were  cut  off,  i.  e.  so  that 
^hey  may  be  cut  off.  Notwithstanding  the  obscurity  of  this 
clause,  the  connection  is  preserved  unbroken  by  the  obvious 
meaning  of  the  other. 

9  (8.)  As  a  snail  melfs^ht  him  go;  (like)  the  untimely  birth 
of  a  uwman^  they  have  not  hehcld  the  sun.  The  idea  of  speedy 
and  entire  disappearance  is  still  more  strongly  expressed  here. 
The  meaning  of  the  word  translated  snail  rests  upon  rabbinical 
tradition  and  a  doubtful  etymology.  The  point  of  comparison 
may- relate  to  some  popular  belief  or  to  some  apparent  idiosyn- 
crasy in  this  class  of  animals,  perhaps  to  the  idea  of  its  losing  a 
portion  of  its  body  by  locomotion.  The  next  noun  primarily 
signifies  what  falls  fiom  the  tree,  unripe  fruit,  and  is  then  trans- 
ferred to  animal  abortions.  The  past  tense  in  the  last  clause 
seems  to  mark  it  as  a  kind  of  reflection  introduced  into  the 
midst  of  the  prayer  '  So  far  from  living  too  long,  as  I  feared, 
they  seem  scarcely  to  have  lived  at  all.' 

10  (9.)  Before  your  pots  can  feci  the  thorn .^  whether  raio  or 
done.,  he  will  hlotc  him  aivay.  This  is  one  of  the  obscurest  and 
most  difficult  verses  in  the  book,  and  yet  the  general  idea  is  suffi- 
ciently clear.  The  he  in  the  last  clause  relates  to  God,  the  him  to 
his  wicked  enemy.  The  verb  translated  blow  aivay  means  pro- 
perly to  stor7n  aivay,  or  carry  away  with  (or  like)  a  tempest. 
The  rapidity  of  this  movement  is  expressed  by  a  familiar  com- 
parison. Your  pots.)  your  vessels  used  in  cooking.  The  address 
seems  to  be  to  the  sinners,  afterwards  referred  to  as  a  single  per- 
son, jpee/,  perceive  the  heat.  Compare  Job  vi.  30.  The  iho?-n .,  used 
Ls  fuel,  kindles  quickly  and  immediately  burns  cut,  so  that  this 
comparison  suggests  the  idea  of  a  very  sudden  change.  The 
singular  expression  which  follows  literally  means  as  (well)  livi^i^ 
ri$  h^at ;  but  as  the  adjective  is  elsewhere  used  to  signify  r*?i; 


56  PSALM    LVin. 

not  cooked  (1  Sam.  ii.  15),  the  noun  joined  with  it  may  be  taken 
in  the  opposite  sense  of  cooked  or  done.  This  may  be  a  prover- 
bial expression,  borrowed  from  the  dialect  of  common  life,  to 
convey  the  idea  of  a  sudden  change,  which  waits  for  nothing, 
but  carries  men  away  in  the  midst  of  their  employments.  This, 
though  still  an  unusual  form  of  speech,  will  seem  less  unnatural 
if  we  suppose  the  process  of  cooking  to  be  here  used  as  a  figure 
for  the  plots  and  devices  of  the  enemy,  a  metaphor  by  no  means 
far-fetched  or  unknown  to  other  writers.  The  idea  then  is  that 
while  these  devices,  so  to  speak,  are  cooking,  the  oooks  are 
snatched  away  by  a  superior  power,  without  caring  whether  the 
operation  is  complete  or  not.  'Before  the  seething  pot  ofyour 
contrivances  begins  to  feel  the  quickly  kindled  heat  which  you 
apply  to  it,  the  tempest  of  divine  wrath  carries  you  away,  whe- 
ther your  mess  be  cooked  or  raw.' 

11  (10.)  Rejoice  shall  the  righteous  because  he  has  seen  ven^ 
geance  ;  his  steps  he  shall  bathe  in  the  blood  of  the  wicked.  The 
vengeance  in  which  he  shall  rejoice  is  not  his  own  but  God's,  in 
the  vindication  of  whose  righteousness  and  honour  all  holy  be- 
ings must  rejoice  forever,  although  not  in  the  suffering  of  those 
who  perish.  The  same  idea  is  expressed  more  strongly  in  the 
last  clause  by  a  martial  figure.  To  bathe  his  feet  (or  rather  his 
steps)  in  the  blood  of  others  is  to  walk  where  their  blood  is  flow- 
ing, to  tread  the  battle-field  where  they  have  fallen,  to  gain  a 
sanguinary  triumph  over  them,  or  rather  it  is  to  partake  in  the 
.triumph  of  another.  Thus  one  of  the  old  commentators  says, 
that  David  washed  his  feet  in  Saul's  blood,  Elijah  in  Ahab's, 
Hezekiah  in  Sennacherib's,  without  any  agency  or  share  in  their 
destruction,  and  without  any  selfish  or  malignant  exultation  in 
their  ruin.  Let  it  also  be  observed  that  in  this,  as  in  many  like 
cases,  the  act  is  ascribed  to  an  ideal  person,  and  is  therefore  no 
example  for  our  imitation. 


PSALM  LIX.  57 

12  (n. )  Atuz  man  shall  say,  yes,  thurt  is  fruit  to  the  righteous  > 
f^rs,  there  is  a  God  judging  in  the  earth.  This  shall  be  said 
Lot  by  a  man,  nor  by  any  particular  man,  but  by  men  in  general, 
by  man  as  opposed  to  God.  The  particle  translated  yes  really 
means  only,  and  denotes  that  this  and  nothing  else  is  true.  See 
above,  on  Ps  xxxix.  12  (11.)  There  is  fruit  to  the  righteous,  or 
in  our  idiom,  he  has  fruit,  i.  e.  he  reaps  what  he  has  sown.  Com- 
pare Isai.  iii.  10,  11.  The  very  power  that  destroys  his  enemies 
is  his  protector.  The  idea  of  existence  is  expressed  in  the  last 
clause  contrary  to  usage,  and  is  therefore  emphatic.  There  is, 
notwithstanding  all  denials,  doubts,  and  false  appearances,  there 
IS  a  God,  judging  in  the  earth.  Another  unusual  circumstance 
in  this  clause  is  that  not  only  the  divine  name,  but  the  participle 
agreeing  with  it,  is  in  the  plural  number.  The  same  thing 
occurs  in  Josh.  xxiv.  19.  1  Sam.  xvii.  2Q.  In  this  case  it  may 
possibly  be  intended  to  suggest  the  idea,  that  although  these 
earthly  representatives  of  God  are  so  unfaithful,  there  are  never- 
theless gods  judging  in  the  earth,  i.  e.  one  God  who  possesses  in 
himself  the  source  of  all  the  justice  exercised  by  other  beings 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xi.  7. 


PSALM     LIX 


This  psalm  consists  of  two  parallel  parts,  in  both  which  the 
succession  of  ideas  is  substantially  the  same.  A  suiferer  complain? 
of  treacherous  and  cruel  enemies,  vs.  2 — 5  (1 — 4),  prays  to  be 
delivered  from  them,  v.  6  (5),  and  confidently  anticipates  their 
-12  (6 — 11.)  In  the  second  part,  we  havp  ^aiu,  in 
4* 


58  PSALM    LIX. 

the  same  order,  the  complaint,  v.  13  (12)  the  prayer,  y    14  (13) 
and  the  anticipaticn,  vs.  15 — 18  (14 — 17.) 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  Al-tashJieth.  By  David.  Mich^ 
tarn.  Vt'lien  Saul  sent,  and  they  watched  the  house  to  kill  him. 
This  remarkable  incident  in  David's  life,  which  was  the  beginning 
of  his  long  and  painful  wanderings,  is  recorded,  almost  in  the 
same  words,  1  Sam.  xix.  11.  The  title  or  inscription  is  the  same 
as  in  the  two  preceding  psalms. 

2  (1.)  Free  me  from  my  enemies.,  my  God,  from  those  rising 
lip  (against)  me  thou  tcilt  raise  me,  i.  e.  place  me  beyond  their 
reach.  Here,  as  often  elsewhere,  the  tone  of  supplication  is 
insensibly  exchanged  for  that  of  confident  anticipation.  But  the 
change  is  momentary,  and  the  form  of  supplication  is  immediately 
resumed.  My  insurgents  or  assailants  :  see  above,  on  Ps.  xvii. 
7.  The  idea  and  expression  at  the  close  are  the  same  as  in 
Ps.  XX.  2  (1.)     Compare  Ps.  xviii.  49  (48.) 

3  (2.)  Free  me  from  icorhers  of  iniquity,  and  from  men  of 
blood  save  me.  The  same  words  and  phrases  have  occurred  re- 
peatedly before.  See  above,  Ps.  v.  6  (5.)  vi.  9  (8.)  xiv.  4. 
xxvi.  9.  xxviii.  3.  This  verse  and  the  one  before  it  consti- 
tute the  general  introductory  petition,  the  ground  and  reason  of 
which  are  afterwards  assio;ned. 


c 


4  (3.)  (This  I  ask)  because  (such  enemies  as  I  have  just 
described)  have  laid  irait  for  my  soul  (or  life)  ;  there  assemble 
against  me  strong  ones,  not  (for)  my  transgression  and  not  (for) 
my  si7i,  Jehovah!     Oi-,  (it  is)  7iot  my  fault  nor  my  sin,  Jehovah. 

5  (4.)  Withour  iniquity  (on  my  part,  to  excuse  or  even  to 
provoke  them)  they  run  and  set  themselves  (against  me.)  Both 
these  are  military  terras  and  seem  to  denote  strictly  the  scaling 


PSALM    LIX.  59 

of  a  wall.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  30  (29.)  Awake  (arouse 
thyself  from  this  apparent  inactivity)  to  meet  me  (to  respond  to 
my  petition),  and  see  (my  danger  and  the  malice  of  my  enemies.) 

6  (5.)  And  tJiou^  Jehovah,  God^  (Lord  of)  Hosts,  God  of 
Israel,  awake  to  visit  all  the  nations  ;  spare  not  all  traitors  of 
iniquity.  Selah.  ■  The  accumulation  of  divine  names  is  not 
unmeaning,  but  suggestive  of  reasons  why  the  prayer  should  be 
answered,  to  wit,  because  He  to  whom  it  was  addressed  was  not 
only  the  Eternal,  S.df-existent  God,  the  Sovereign  of  the  Universe, 
but  the  God  of  Israel,  and  therefore  bound  by  covenant  to  save 
his  people.  All  the  nations,  i.  e.  such  as  are  the  enemies  of  God 
and  of  his  people  ;  and  if  whole  nations  are  thus  dealt  with,  how 
much  more  may  Jehovah  be  expected  to  destroy  his  iudividua. 
enemies.  Traitors  of  iniquily,  wicked  traitors.  The  depth  o\ 
the  feeling  here  expressed  is  further  indicated  by  the  Selah. 

7  (6.)  Let  them  return  at  evening,  let  them  howl  like  the  dog^ 
and  go  arou7id  the  city.  The  verbs  may  also  be  rendered  as 
simple  futures,  expressive  of  a  confident  anticipation  :  they  sJudl 
return,  etc.  In  either  case,  the  verse  contains  a  metaphorical 
description  of  the  disappointment  of  the  enemy,  who  are  here 
compared  to  the  gregarious  untamed  dogs,  by  which  the  oriental 
cities  are  infested.  As  these  dogs  prowl  about  the  streets  in 
search  of  food  and  howl  for  want  of  it,  so  let  (or  so  shall)  my 
wicked  enemies.  Others,  with  equal  probability,  explain  this  verso 
as  a  description  of  their  present  fierceness  and  avidity. 

8  (7.)  Lo,  they  'pour  out  tcith  their  mouths  ;  sicords  {are)  in 
*heir  lips ;  for  who  (is)  hearing  ?  He  here  reverts  to  his 
description  and  complaint  of  his  enemies.  The  first  verb  is  ex- 
pressive of  a  constant  flow  or  gush.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xix.  3  (2.) 
What  it  is  that  they  thus  pour  out,  although  not  expressed,  may 
be  readily  gathered  from  the  context,  namely,  slanders  and  re 


60  rSALM  LIX. 

preaches.  The  swords  in  their  lips  are  significant  of  sharp  and 
cutting  speeches.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  22  (21),  and  compare 
Ps.  lii.  4  (3.)  The  English  version,  by  supplying  "  say  they^"^' 
makes  the  last  clause  the  language  of  these  wicked  foes,  who  are 
then  to  be  understood  as  denying  God's  omniscience  or  his  justice 
See  above, on  Ps.  x.  11, 13,  and  compare  Ps.  xiv.  1.  xlii.  11  flO.) 
But  a  still  more  striking  sense  may  be  obtained  by  making  this 
clause  the  complaint  of  the  Psalmist  himself,  as  if  he  had  said  : 
no  wonder  that  they  thus  pour  out  their  bitter  words  ;  for  who  is 
there  to  observe  and  punish  them  }  The  question  implies  that 
God  himself  had  ceased  to  notice  their  offences,  and  the  parti- 
cipial form,  that  this  neglect  had  now  become  habitual. 

9  (8.)  And  tliou^  Jehovah^  wilt  laugh  at  them  ;  thou  wilt  mock 
at  all  nations.  The  resistance  of  whole  nations,  or  of  all  collec- 
tively, is  but  an  object  of  contempt  to  thee  ;  how  much  more 
that  of  even  the  most  potent  individuals.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
ii.  4.  xxxvii.  13.  The  connection  between  this  verse  and  the 
one  before  it  depends  upon  the  meaning  of  the  question  with 
which  v.  8  (7)  closes.  If  that  be  regarded  as  the  language  of 
the  enemy,  the  thought  to  be  supplied  is,  '  but  although  they  thus 
imagine  that  thou  dost  not  hear,  thou  wilt  soon  undeceive  them 
by  deriding  them.'  On  the  other  supposition  it  is  this  :  '  al- 
though I  am  continually  tempted  to  say,  who  doth  hear  ?  I  am 
nevertheless  persuaded  that  thou  dost  hear  and  despise  their  im- 
potent malignity  ' 

10  (9.)  His  strength  unto  thee  ivill  I  keep ^  for  God  is  my  high 
place.  The  first  clause  is  so  obscure  that  some  interpreters  have 
thought  it  necessary  to  change  the  text  ^^\^  for  i^j/)  and  read  7?iy 
strengthyi.  e.  thou  who  art  my  strength,  jfcr  thee  will  I  loatrh 
or  wait.  Some  who  retain  the  common  text  suppose  a  sudden 
change  of  person,  (as  for)  his  strength.^  i.  e.  God's,  /  tcHlivatch 
for  thcCy  oh  God  !     But  this  is  much  less  natural  than  the  commoc. 


PSALM   LIX. 


Gl 


yersion,  {because  of)  his  strength^  i.  e.  the  enemy's,  'icilllumit  upon 
thee.  According  to  the  first  translation  above  given,  the  meaning  of 
the  clause  is,  I  will  reserve  the  strength  and  violence  of  the 
enemy,  to  be  dealt  with  and  disposed  of  by  Jehovah.  My  high 
place^  beyond  the  reach  of  enemies  and  dangers.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  ix.  10  (9.)   xviii.  3  (2.)   xlvi.  8,  12  (7,  11.) 

11  (10.)  Mqj  God  (with)  his  mercy  loill  meet  me;  God  unll 
make  me  to  gaze  upon  my  enemies.  This  translation  of  the  first 
clause  follows  the  reading  in  the  text  of  the  Hebrew  Bible.  The 
common  version  exhibits  the  marginal  or  masoretic  emendation, 
the  God  of  my  mercy.,  i.  e.  my  merciful  God,  or  the  God  who 
shows  me  mercy,  shall  prevent  me.,  in  the  primary  and  proper 
sense  of  coming  before  me.  The  idea  here  is  that  of  coming  to 
meet  one  in  a  friendly  manner.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi.  4  (3), 
and  compare  the  unfavourable  meaning  of  the  same  verb  in  Ps. 
xvii.  13.  xviii.  6  (s),  19  (IS.)  To  gaze^l  e.  with  joy  and  triumph. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  liv.  9  (7.)  This  is  equivalent  to  saying,  he 
will  give  me  the  victory.  The  word  for  enemies  is  the  same  as  in 
Ps.  V.  9  (8.) 

12  (11.)  Slay  them  not^lcst  my  people  forget ;  make  them  wan- 
der hy  thy  power  afid  bring  them  down.,  our  shield^  oh  Lord  !  The 
meaning  of  the  first  clause,  as  appears  from  the  context,  is,  de- 
stroy them  not  utterly,  or  once  for  all.  My  people.,  i.  e.  Israel, 
the  chosen  race.  Make  them  wander.,  like  Cain  and  like  Israel 
in  the  wilderness,  to  both  which  cases  the  same  verb  is  applied. 
Gen.  iv.  12.  Num.  xxxii  13.  These  are  tacitly  referred  to,  as 
familiar  examples  of  this  kind  of  punishment,  inflicted  both  on 
individuals  and  nations.  Bring  them  down.,  cause  them  to  de- 
scend, from  their  present,  high  position,  humble  them,  and  make 
their  humiliation  an  example  and  a  warning  to  all  others.  This 
was  signally  fulfilled  in  the   case  of  Saul  and  his  household,  as 


62  '  PSALM    LIX. 

well  as  in  that  of  the  nations  which  resisted  the  divine  will  and 
oppressed  the  chosen  people,  to  both  which  cases  the  expressions 
of  this  psalm  are  designedly  appropriate.  Our  skield^  our  pro- 
tector ;  not  only  mine  but  ours ;  not  only  David\s  but  all 
Israel's.  The  figure  of  a  shield  is  a  favourite  one  with  David. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  4  (3.)  xviii.  3  (2.)  xxviii.  7.  It  is  not 
only  striking  and  expressive,  but  historically  associated  with 
the  origin  of  the  nation  in  the  calling  of  Abraham  and  the  patri- 
archal promises.     See  Gen.  xv.  1. 

13  (12.)  T/ie  sin  of  their  mouth — the  word  of  their  lips — and 
they  shall  he  taken  in  their  pride — aiid  from  cursing  and  falsehood 
they  will  tell.  This  is  a  close  translation  of  this  very  obscure 
verse,"  that  is  to  say,  obscure  in  its  particular  expressions,  though 
its  general  sense  is  obvious  enough.  The  construction  given  in 
the  English  versions,  (for)  the  sin  of  their  mouth  (and)  the  word 
of  their  lips,  they  shall  be  taken,  either  overlooks  the  copulative 
particle  before  the  verb  or  makes  it  unmeaning,  they  shall  even  be 
taken.  The  latest  interpreters  prefer  to  render  it,  the  sin  of  their 
mouth  [is)  the  word  of  their  lips,  i.  e.  the  word  of  their  lips  is 
the  sin  of  their  mouth  ;  whatever  they  speak  is  spoken  sinfully  ; 
they  cannot  speak  without  committing  sin.  They  shall  be  taken, 
caught,  surprised,  as  they  have  sought  to  surprise  others.  See 
above,  Ps.  ix,  16  (15.)  xxxv.  8.  It  may  also  be  read  as  an 
expression  of  desire,  may  they  be  taken  !  In  their  pride,  not 
merely  on  account  of  it,  although  this  is  included,  but  in  the  midst 
of  it,  in  the  act  of  indulging  it.  From  cursing  represents  their 
capture  as  arising  (or  proceeding)  from  their  cursing,  and  may 
therefore  be  translated /6'7-,  as  in  the  English  Bible.  Cursing, 
or  rather  swearing  in  attestation  of  a  falsehood.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  X.  7.  The  phrase  to  tell  a  falsehood  is  common  to  both 
idioms.  Most  interpreters  supply  a  relative,  (which)  they  tell,  or 
will  tell.  Otherwise,  from  must  be  understood  as  meaning  of^ 
concerning. 


PSALM    LIX.  63 

r 

14  (13.)  Conmme  in  icrafh^  cor^sume  {them)^avd  let  thern  he  no 
more,  airid  let  them  knoiu  that  God  {is)  ruling  in  Jacob,  unto  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  The  first  verb  strictly  means  to  cause  to 
cease,  to  finish,  to  destro}^  so  that  notliing  is  left.  Let  them  be 
no  more,  let  them  cease  to  be.  By  itself,  the  Hebrew  phrase 
would  seem  to  mean,  and  they  arc  not,  but  the  tense,  w^hich  is 
not  expressed  in  the  original,  must  be  determined  by  the  prayer 
preceding.  The  last  clause  might  at  first  sight  seem  to  mean, 
let  my  enemies  know  that  God  rules  not  onl}^  in  Israel  but  through- 
out the  earth.  But  this  is  forbidden  by  the  prayer  that  they  may 
cease  to  be,  and  would  require  a  connective  particle  of  some  sort 
after  Jacob.  The  true  construction,  indicated  by  the  accents,  is, 
and  let  them  (i.  e.  men  in  general)  know,  to  the  ends  of  the  earthy 
that  God  (is)  ruling  (i.  e.  habitually  rules)  in  Jacob.  This  de- 
scription of  the  whole  world  as  witnessing  and  interested  in  God's 
dealings  with  his  chosen  people,  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
very  end  for  which  he  chose  them,  and  is  particularly  character- 
istic of  David.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  50  (49.)  Ivii.  6,  10,  12 
(5,  9,  11),  and  compare  his  language  to  Goliath,  1  Sam.  xvii. 
46  :  "  this  day  will  Jehovah  deliver  thee  into  my  hand,  and  I  will 

smite  thee that  all  the  earth  may  know,  that  there  is 

a  God  in  Israel." 

15  (14.)  Then  let  them  return  at  evening,  howl  like  the  dog,  and 
go  arou7id  the  city.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  simple  copu- 
lative, meaning  a7id  ;  but  the  connection  seems  to  be,  since  God 
is  my  protector  and  these  enemies  are  doomed  to  destruction, 
let  them  threaten  as  they  will,  I  shall  not  fear  them.  It  is 
equally  grammatical,  though  not  so  natural,  to  understand  the 
'verse  as  a  prediction  or  confident  anticipation  of  the  miserable 
state  to  which  these  enemies  should  be  reduced,  like  a  herd  of 
oriental  dogs  without  a  master  or  a  home,  prowling  about  iu 
Bearch  of  food,  and  howling  with  hunger,  but  remaining  still  un^ 
satisfied.     See  above,  on  v.  7  (6.) 


64  PSALM    LIX. 

16  (15.)  They  shall  waiider  (in  quest  of  sometbing)  to  eat^ 
(and)  if  they  are  not  satisfied^  remain  all  night.  This  sentenco 
is  obscure,  whether  it  be  understood  as  a  defiance  or  a  threaten- 
ing, though  the  latter  construction  is  recommended  by  the  em- 
phatic pronoun  at  the  beginning.  They  themselves,  the  very 
persons  who  now  threaten  me,  shall  roam  about  in  search  of  food, 
etc  The  most  probable  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is  :  and  not  be- 
ing satisfied,  not  finding  what  they  seek,  they  must  continue  seek- 
ing it  by  night  as  well  as  by  day.  The  conversive  particle  before 
the  last  word  seems  to  be  here  equivalent  to  then  or  still  after  a 
conditional  clause — '  if  they  are  not  satisfied,  theii  they  shall  re- 
main all  night' — or  '  though  they  be  not  satisfied,  yet-  must  they 
remain  all  night.' 

17  (16.)  And  I  ivill  sing  thy  strength^  and  celebrate  in  the 
morning  thy  mercy  ;  for  thou  hast  been  a  high  place  to  me,  a  re~ 
fiige  in  my  distress.  The  pronoun  at  the  beginning  is  emphatic, 
I,  on  my  part,  as  contrasted  with  these  wretches.  Thy  strength 
or  poicer,  thus  exerted  in  my  behalf.  I7i  the  morning,  or  at  break 
of  day,  which  is  the  primary  meaning  of  the  term.  The  phrase 
is  in  obvious  antithesis  to  at  evening  in  v.  15  (14.)  There  may 
also  be  allusion  to  the  frequent  use  of  night  and  morning,  as 
emblems  of  sufi'ering  and  relief.  Compare  the  words  of  David 
in  2  Sam.  xxiii.  4,  A  height,  high  place,  or  place  of  safety,  as 
in  V.  10  (9;  above.  In  my  distress,  or  retaining  the  original  con- 
struction, in  distress  to  me.  The  form  of  expression  is  the  same 
-as  in  Ps.  xviii.  7  (6.) 

18  (17.)  My  strength,  unto  thee  will  I  sing ;  for  God  is  my 
high  place,  the  God  of  my  mercy.  The  most  natural  construc- 
tion of  the  first  phrase  is  that  which  makes  it  a  direct  address  io 
God,  as  the  author  of  his  strength.  But  as  the  structure  of  the 
clause  is  precisely  similar  to  that  at  the  beginning  of  v.  10  (9), 
some  adopt  a  similar   constiuction,  my  strength  will  I  sing  untc 


PSALM   LX.  ej5 

thee.  T  will  praise  my  strength  to  thee,  because  shall  thereby 
praise  thyself.  This  is  equivalent  to  saying,  I  will  celebratQ 
thee  as  my  strength.  High  place^  place  of  safety,  refuge,  or 
asylum,  as  in  vs.  10,  17  (9,  16.)  God  of  my  mercy^  my  merci 
ful  God,  or  the  God  who  shows  me  mercy.  See  above,  on  v 
11  (10.) 


PSALM     L  X. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  On  the  Ltiy  of  Testimony.  A 
Mystery.  By  David.  To  he  Learnt.  The  lily  is  probably,  in 
this  case  as  in  Ps.  xlv.  1,  an  emblem  of  beauty  or  loveliness. 
The  testimony  is  a  name  given  to  the  Law,  as  God's  testimony 
against  sin.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xix  8  (7),  and  compare  2  Kings 
xi.  12,  where  the  term  is  applied  absolutely  to  the  Law,  con- 
sidered as  a  book  or  writing.  This  enigmatical  inscription, 
therefore,  may  be  understood  as  representing  the  theme  or  sub- 
ject of  the  psalm  to  be  the  beauty  of  the  law,  or  something 
lovely  in  it,  with  reference  most  probably  to  the  gracious  promise 
cited  from  it.  At  the  same  time,  there  seems  to  be  an  allusion 
to  the  precept  in  Deut.  xxxi.  19,  "Now  therefore  write  ye  this 
song  for  you,  and  teach  it  the  children  of  Israel ;  put  it  in 
their  mouths,  that  this  song  may  be  a  witness  for  me  against 
the  children  of  Israel."  To  this  verse  there  seems  to  be  a 
double  allusion  in  the  one  before  us  ;  first  in  the  woi'd  testimony .^ 
which  is  a  cognate  form  to  that  translated  witness.,  and  then  in 
the  concluding  words,  to  teach.,  where  the  verb  is  the  same  with 
that  in  Deuteronomy.  The  title  before  us,  therefore,  seems  to 
Ba}',  this  song  is  like  the  song  of  Moses,  which  was  to  be  taugh* 


66  PSALM    LX. 

to  the  people,  as  a  witness  or  testimony  against  them,,  in  case  of 
unbelief  or  disobeiience.  To  teach  then  means  to  he  taught  oi 
to  he  learned  by  heart,  committed  to  memory.  Compare  2  Sam. 
i.  18,  where  the  English  version  incorrectly  supplies  (use  of)  the 
hoiD^  instead  of  {song  of)  the  hou\  meaning  the  elegy  on  Saul  and 
Jonathan  which  immediately  follows,  so  called,  according  to  an 
ancient  custom,  from  the  mention  of  Jonathan's  favourite  weapon 
in  V.  22.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  1.  From  this  enigmatical  allu- 
sion, and  the  disguised  form  under  which  the  truth  is  here  re- 
vealed, the  psalm  is  justly  represented  as  a  Michtam^  mystery,  or 
secret.  See  above,  on  the  titles  of  the  four  preceding  psalms 
The  body  of  the  psalm,  apart  from  the  additional  title  or  his- 
torical  inscription  in  v.  2,  may  be  divided  into  three  equal  stanzas 
or  strophes,  each  consisting  of  four  verses.  In  the  first,  the 
Psalmist  takes  occasion  from  God's  seeming  desertion  of  his  peo- 
ple, to  recall  his  former  interventions  in  their  favour,  vs.  3 — 6 
(] — 4.)  In  the  second,  he  pleads  an  express  promise,  as  a 
ground  of  present  hope,  vs.  7 — 10  (5 — 8.)  In  the  third,  he  ex- 
presses his  confidence  of  safety  and  success,  in  the  proposed 
expedition  against  Edom,  vs.  11 — 14  (9 — 12.)  Throughout 
the  psalm  the  ideal  speaker  is  Israel,  considered  as  the  chosen 
people. 

2.  When  he  conquered  Aram  Naharaim  and  Aram  Zohah^  and 
Joah.  returned  and  smote  Edom  in  the  Valley  of  Salt^  twelve 
thousand  me7i.  The  common  version  of  the  first  verb  {strove 
with)  seems  too  weak,  as  a  victory  is  clearly  presupposed,  and  the 
idea  of  contention  is  conveyed  by  a  cognate  form  of  the  same 
verb.  The  name  Aram  corresponds  to  Syria  in  its  widest  and 
vaguest  sense,  and  is  joined  with  other  names  to  designate  partic- 
ular parts  of  that  large  country.  It  even  includes  Mesopotaujia, 
which  is  a  term  of  physical  rather  than  political  geography,  and 
denotes  the  space  between  the  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  correspond- 
ing   to    Ai  am-Kaharaim^  or   Syria  of  the  Two  River s^  in    the 


PSALM    LX.  67 

verso  before  us.  The  king  of  this  country  was  trihuiary  to  the 
king  of  Aram  Zobah,  as  appears  from  the  account  of  David'? 
second  -  Aramean  war  (2  Sam.  x.  16,  19.)  It  was  after  the 
return  of  the  victorious  army  fi-oni  this  war,  that  Joab  marched 
against  Edom  and  achieved  the  victory  here  ascribed  to  him,  as 
the  leader  of  the  army,  but  in  1  Chron.  xviii.  12,  to  his  brother 
Abishai,  who  probably  commanded  under  him,  as  he  did  in  a 
subsequent  campaign  (2  Sam.  x.  10),  and  in  2  Sam.  viii.  13  to 
David  himself  as  the  sovereign  whom  they  both  represented. 
The  Valley  of  Salt  has  been  identijBod  by  modern  travellers 
with  a  valley  south  of  the  Dead  Sea,  on  the  ancient  confines  of 
Israel  and  Edom.  See  Robinson's  Palestine,  vol.  ii.  p.  483. 
The  number  killed  on  this  occasion  is  stated  in  2  Sam.  viii.  13 
and  1  Chron.  xviii.  12  at  eighteen  thousand.  But  this  diversity 
might  easily  arise  from  different  modes  of  computation,  and  seems 
at  least  to  show  that  the  writer  of  the  verse  before  us  did  not 
blindly  copy  the  historical  books,  while  the  smaller  number  which 
he  gives  evinces  his  exemption  from  all  disposition  to  embellish 
or  exaggerate. 

3  (1.)  Oh  God  ^  thou  hast  cast  us  off;  thou  hast  hrohen  us  ; 
thou  hast  been  angry  ;  thou  wilt  restore  to  us  (thy  favour  or  our 
previous  prospeiity.)  Clear  as  the  mai-ks  of  thy  displeasure  have 
been,  we  still  confidently  look  for  thy  returning  fjivour.  This 
may  refer  to  disasters  experienced  in  the  former  part  of  the 
campaign.  Cast  us  off^  with  abhorrence  and  contempt,  as  in 
Ps.  xliii.  2.  xliv.  10,  24  (9,  23.)  Broken  us,  or  made  a  breach 
in  us,  which  appears  to  be  a  military  figure,  and  a  favourite  with 
David  in  real  life.  See  2  Sam.  v.  20.  vi.  8,  and  compare  Judnr. 
xxi.  15.  Job  xvi.  14.  xxx.  14.  The  last  verb  means  to  restore, 
as  in  Ps.  xix.  8.  (7.)  xxiii.  3,  but  in  application  to  a  diffurcnl 
object.     Compare  Isai.  Iviii.  12, 

4  (2.)    Thou  hast  made  the  earth  qualce,  thou  hast  riven  it  ^ 


68  PSA.LM    LX. 

heal  its  heaches^  for  it  moves.  The  idea  of  social  disaster  and 
calamity  is  here  expressed  by  the  figure  of  an  earthquake  and  its 
natural  effects,  to  which  God  is  besought  to  put  an  end  by  the 
removal  of  the  cause. 

5  (3.)  Thou  hast  made  thy  people  see  (what  is)  hard;  thou 
hast  made  us  drink  wine  of  staggering  (or  reeling.)  The 
meaning  of  the  first  clause  is,  that  God  had  made  them  experience 
hardship.  See  a  similar  expression  in  Ps.  Ixxi.  20.  Wine  of 
staggering.,  wine  that  causes  men  to  reel  or  stagger,  here  used  as 
a  figure  for  confusion,  weakness,  and  distress.  The  same  image 
reappears  in  Ps.  Ixxv.  9  (8.)  Isai.  li.  17, 22.  Jer.  xxv.  15.  xlix.  12. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xi.  6, 

6  (4.)  Thou  hast  given  to  those  fearing  thee  a  banner  to  be 
lifted  because  of  (thy)  truth.  Selah.  In  the  sight  of  thy  dis- 
comfited and  downcast  people,  thou  hast  set  up  a  signal,  as  a 
rallying  point,  and  an  assurance  of  the  truth  of  thy  engageuients. 
The  word  (op]  translated  banner  means  anything  elevated  as  a 
si'i^nal,  beino-  derived  from  the  followino:  verb,  which,  in  the  form 
Vere  used,  means  properly  to  raise  itself.,  as  in  Zech.  ix.  16.  The 
word  for  truth  is  not  the  one  commonly  so  rendered,  but  has  the 
same  meaning  in  Prov.  xxii.  21,  and  in  the  Aiamaic  dialects. 
See  Dan.  ii.  47.  iv.  34.  Because  of^  literally,  yVcwi  before  ov  from 
f,he  face  of.,  an  expression  indicating,  as  the  cause  of  the  effect  de- 
scribed, the  truth  or  veracity  of  God  himself.  The  translation  of 
the  last  clause  in  the  ancient  versions  and  some  modern  ones,  to 
flee  from  before  the  bow.,  gives  an  unauthorized  meaning  both  to 
the  verb  and  noun. 

7  (5.)  In  order  that  thy  beloved  ones  may  be  deliveedy  save 
(with)  thy  right  hand  and  hear  (or  answer)  21s.  This  is  a  prayer 
naturally  prompted  by  the  previous  experience  of  God's  favour, 
as  recorded   in  the  foregoing   verse        Thy  beloved,  an    epithet 


\ 


PSALM    r.X.  Hg 

applied  to  Benjamin  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  12,  and  forming  a  part  of 
Solomon's  additional  name  Jedidiah^  2  Sam.  xii.  25.  See  also 
Ps.  xlv.  1.  The  common  version  of  the  last  words  (hear  me) 
rests  upon  the  marginal  reading  or  Keri. 

8  (6.)  God  hath  s])oJcen  in  his  holiness  ;  I  icill  triumph  ;  I  will 
divide  Shechem^  and  the  Valley  of  Succoth  I  will  measure.  As  a 
further  ground  for  his  petition,  the  Psalmist,  speaking  in  the 
name  of  Israel,  appeals  to  the  promise  of  Jehovah,  that  his  people 
should  possess  the  entire  land  of  Canaan.  The  reference  is  not 
to  any  insulated  promise,  but  to  that  pervading  the  whole  Law. 
There  God  had  spoken.,  uttered  his  promise,  in  his  holiness.,  i.  e. 
as  a  Holy  God,  and  as  such  incapable  of  failing  to  perform  it. 
See  the  similar  expressions  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  36  (35.)  Am.  iv.  2. 
Some  understand  what  follows  as  the  words  which  God  had 
spoken ;  but  as  v.  11  (9)  is  confessedly  the  language  of  the 
people  or  their  representative,  and  as  no  intermediate  point  of 
transition  can  be  well  assumed,  it  seems  better  to  explain  these 
also  as  the  words  of  David  or  of  Israel.  '  God  hath  spoken  in  his 
holiness  (and  therefore)  I  will  triumph.'  Because  he  has  prom- 
ised me  victorious  possession  of  the  land,  I  exult  in  confident 
anticipation  of  it.  This  idea  of  triumphant  occupation  is  ex- 
pressed in  terms  appropriate  to  the  times  of  the  original  conquest, 
when  the  land  was  measured  and  distributed  among  the  tribes. 
See  Josh.  xiii.  7.  xviii.  5.  The  two  great  divisions  of  the  country, 
east  and  west  of  Jordan,  are  denoted  by  Shechem  and  Succoth, 
the  places  where  Jacob  pitched  his  tent  on  his  return  from  exile, 
as  if  to  claim  the  Land  of  Promise  as  his  heritage.  See  Gen. 
xxxiii.  17,  19. 

9  (7.)  To  me  (belongs)  Gilead  and  to  me  Manasseh^  and 
Ephraim  the  strength  of  my  head.,  Judah  my  lawgiver.  The 
idea  still  is  that  the  whole  of  Canaan  rightfully  belongs  to  IsraeL 
The  form  of   expression  is  analogous  to  that  in  the  preceding 


70  PSALM   LX. 

verse,  but  with  a  beautiful  variation.  As  the  tvo  great  divisions 
of  the  country,  east  and  west  of  Jordan,  are  there  represented  by 
detached  points,  Shechem  and  Succoth,  so  here  by  the  names  of 
extensive  districts,  Judah  and  Ephraim,  the  two  largest  territories 
on  the  west,  Bashan  aad  Gilead  on  the  east,  the  latter  called  by 
its  own  name,  the  former  by  that  of  the  tribe  which  occupied  the 
greater  part  of  it.  See  Deut.  iii.  12,  13.  The  last  clause  does 
due  honour  to  the  military  strength  of  Ephraim  (Gen.  xlviii.  19. 
Deut.  xxxiii.  17),  but  asserts  the  civil  supremacy  of  Judah  (Gen. 
xlix.  10.)  The  phrase  translated  strength  of  my  head  might 
seem  to  mean  my  chitf  strength  ;  but  that  would  i-equire  the  terms 
to  be  inverted,  head  of  my  strength.  Compare  Gen.  xlix.  3. 
It  rather  means  the  protection  of  my  head,  as  strength  of  my  life 
in  Ps.  xxvii.  1  means  that  which  protects  my  life,  the  head  being 
mentioned  as  the  vital  part  peculiarly  exposed.  Compare  Ps. 
Ixviii.  22  (21.)  ex.  6.  Some  suppose  the  figure  to  be  that  of  a 
helmet,  which  is  too  specific.  In  the  last  clause  there  is  obvious 
allusion  to  the  prophecy  in  Gen.  xlix.  10.  Lawgiver  has  its 
proper  sense  of  ruler,  sovereign.  That  of  rod  or  sceptre,  which 
some  give  it,  rests  upon  a  doubtful  explanation  of  Numb.  xxi.  IS. 

10  (8.)  Moah  (is)  my  vash-'pot ;  at  Udom  will  I  throw  my 
shoe  ;  at  me^  Philistia^  shout  alcud !  The  three  hostile  powers, 
with  which  Israel  was  most  frequently  at  war,  are  here  put  to- 
gether, as  the  objects  of  a  contemptuous  address.  Moab  is 
likened  to  the  humblest  household  utensil,  the  vessel  in  which 
"slaves  were  wont  to  wash  their  master's  feet.  Edom  is  likened  to 
the  slave  himself,  to  whom  or  at  whom  the  master  throws  his 
sboe  when  about  to  bathe  his  feet.  Compare  Matth.  iii.  11.  Acts 
xiii.  25.  This  is  much  better  suited  to  the  context  than  the 
allusion,  which  some  assume,  to  the  practice  mentioned  in  Ruth 
iv.  7,  where  the  removal  of  the  shoe  is  a  symbol  of  renunciation, 
and  could  not  be  here  used  to  express  the  opposite  idea  of  seizure 
or  triumphant  occupation.       Shout  aloud^  or  make  a  noiUj  is  by 


PSALM    La.  71 

some  explained  as  an  expression  of  triumph,  and  the  wholb  clause 
treated  as  ironical.  Others  understand  it  of  the  acclamation  or 
shout  of  welcome  and  applause  by  which  subjects  recognise  and 
hail  their  sovereign.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  11,  where  the  exhort 
ation  to  rejoice  with  tremhliiig  is,  by  the  same  interpreters, 
explained  in  the  same  manner.  In  either  case,  the  clause  implies 
Buperiority  in  him  who  speaks,  and  willing  or  compulsory  subjec- 
tion on  the  part  of  those  whom  he  addresses. 

11  (9.)  Who  will  bring  me  {to)  the  fenced  city  1  Who  has 
led  me  up  to  Edom  1  In  reliance  on  God's  promise,  and  in  the 
possession  of  the  hope  and  courage  just  expressed,  his  people 
are  ready  to  go  forward,  and  only  waiting,  as  it  were,  for  some 
one  to  conduct  them  into  the  enemy's  country,  nay,  into  his  very 
citadel.  Tho  fenced  city^  literally,  city  of  defence  oy  fortification ^ 
a  phrase  already  used  in  Ps.  xxxi.  22  (21,)  is  Pctra,  the  famous 
capital  of  Idumea,  hewn  in  the  rock,  and  almost  perfectly  impreg- 
nable. See  Robinson's  Palestine,  vol.  11.  pp.  573 — 580.  The 
past  tense  in  the  last  clause  represents  the  question  as  already 
answered.  Up  to^  even  to,  as  far  as,  implying  not  mere  motion 
or  direction,  but  actual  arrival. 

12  (10.)  (Is  it)  not  thou^  ohGod^  (who)  had  cast  us  off  and 
wilt  not  go  forth  with  our  hosts  ?  A  simpler  construction  of  the 
first  clause  would  be,  hast  thou  not  cast  us  off?  But  it  seems 
better  to  explain  the  verse  as  an  indirect  answer  to  the  question 
in  the  one  preceding.  Who  has  brought  us  into  Edom,  if  not  He 
who  had  rejected  us  ?  The  terms  are  borrowed  from  Ps.  xliv. 
10  (9),  which  seems  to  have  been  written  in  the  midst  of  the 
distress  here  spoken  of  as  past.  '  Wilt  not  thou,  of  whom  we 
lately  were  compelled  to  say,  thou  hast  forsaken  us  and  wilt  not 
go  forth  with  our  hosts  .-'     Compare  2  Sam.  v.  24. 

13  (11.)    Give  us  help  froui  trouble  (or from  the  enemy);  a'i.d 


f2  PSALM    LX. 

(the  rather  because)  vain  (is)  the  salvation  of  man,  i.  e.  t1i« 
deliverance  which  man.  affords.  The  causal  particle,  for,  be 
cause,  which  seems  necessary  to  connect  the  clauses,  is  implied 
but  not  expressed  in  Hebrew.  The  second  noun  ("i;:)  may  either 
mean  distress,  as  in  Ps.  iv.  2(1.)  xviii.  7  (6),  or  one  who  gives 
distress,  a  persecuting  or  oppressing  enemy,  as  in  Ps.  iii.  2(1.) 
xiii.  5  (4.)  xxvii.  2,  12.  xliv.  6,  8,  11  (5,  7,  10.)  Either  sense 
would  be  appropriate,  but  the  latter  is  strongly  recommended 
by  its  occurrence  in  the  next  verse. 

14  (12.)  In  God  ive  will  make  (i.  e.  gain  or  gather)  strength, 
and  he  will  tread  down  (or  trample  on)  our  adversaries  (perse- 
cutors or  oppressors.)  The  prayer  is  followed  by  the  confident 
anticipation  of  the  answer.  In  God,  i.  e.  in  union  with  him,  in 
possession  of  him.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  30  (29.)  The  com- 
mon version  of  the  next  phrase  (  shall  do  valiantly)  is  vague  and 
dubious,  being  inadmissible  in  several  of  the  cases  where  the 
phrase  occurs,  whereas  they  all  admit  of  the  translation  make  or 
gather  strength,  in  reference  to  the  acquisition  or  recovery  of 
force  by  those  who  had  before  been  in  a  state  of  weakness.  See 
below,  on  Ps.  cviii.  14  (13.)  cxviii.  15,  16,  and  compare  Ezek. 
xxviii.  4.  Ruth  iv.  11.  Deut.  viii.  17,  18.  Num.  xxiv.  18.,  to  the 
last  of  which  places  there  is  obvious  allusion  here,  as  relating  to 
the  very  same  enemies.  Treading  or  trampling,  as  an  emblem 
of  violent  subjection,  occurs  above  in  a  contemporaneous  pas- 
sage, Ps.  xliv.  6  (5.)  The  last  eight  verses  reappear  as  a  part 
-of  Ps.  cviii,  in  the  exposition  of  which  the  points  of  difference 
and  thf.  genera]  relation  of  the  passages  will  be  considered. 


PSALM     r.Xl  73 


PSALM    L  X  I . 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician — on  a  stringed  instrument  (or  with 
an  instrumental  accompaniment) — of  David.  The  peculiar  form 
of  the  original  construction  (*l~b  ^"^35)  cannot  be  reproduced  in 
English,  but  seems  to  connect  the  name  of  David  both  with  the 
Hebrew  word  preceding,  as  the  owner  or  conductor  of  the 
music,  and  with  the  psalm  itself  as  the  author.  That  is  to  say, 
the  words  are  so  combined  as  to  convey  both  these  ideas — a 
stringed  instrument  of  David — and  a  psalm  of  David.  The 
musical  term  (neginath)  is  the  same  as  in  the  titles  of  Ps.  iv,  vi, 
liv,  Iv,  but  in  the  singular  number  and  the  construct  form.  The 
psalm  itself  consists  of  a  prayer  with  an  expression  of  strong 
confidence  vs.  2 — 5  (1 — 4),  and  an  appeal  to  the  divine  pro- 
mise, as  the  ground  and  object  of  that  confidence,  vs.  6 — 9  (5 — 8.) 

2  (1.)  Hear.,  oh  God.,  my  cry  ;  attend  unto  my  prayer  !  The 
psalm  opens  with  an  introductory  petition  to  be  heard.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  v  2,  3  ( I,  2.)  xvii.  1.  Iv.  2  (1),  and  compare  Ps 
xxxix.  12  (13.)  The  word  translated  cry.,  which  sometimes  means  a 
joyful  shout  or  thankful  song — Ps.  xxx.  6  (5.)  xlii.  5  (4.)  xlvii 
2  ( 1) — is  here  determined  by  the  parallelism  and  the  context  to 
demote  a  cry  for  help  or  mercy. 

3  (2.)  From  the  end  of  the  earth  unto  thee  will  I  call,  in  th^ 
covering  of  my  heart  (when  it  is  covered,  i.  e.  overwhelmed,  or 


74  PSALM    LXL 

covered  with  darkness.)  To  a  rock  (that)  is  high  from  mCy  (i.  c 
higher  than  I,  or  too  high  for  roe)  thou  wilt  lead  me.  To  the 
saints  of  the  Old  Testament  exclusion  or  involuntary  distance 
from  the  sanctuary  seemed  equivalent  to  exile  in  the  remotest 
countries,  sometimes  called  the  eiid  of  the  earth  (Deut.  xxviii. 
64),  sometimes  the  end  of  heaven  (Deut.  iv.  32),  although  this 
last  phrase  may  be  understood  to  mean  the  sensible  horizon  or 
boundary  of  vision  (Isai.  xiii.  5.)  A  rock.,  often  mentioned  as  a 
place  of  refuge.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  xl.  3  (2.)  Too 
high  for  me  to  reach  without  assistance.  In  the  last  clause  an 
earnest  prayer  is  latent  under  the  form  of  a  confident  antici- 
pation. The  feelings  here  expressed,  and  the  terms  used  to  ex- 
press them,  are  peculiarly  appropriate  to  David's  situation  dur- 
ing Absalom's  rebellion.     See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  1.  xlii.  1. 

4  (3.)  For  ihoib  ha^t  been  a  refuge  to  me.,  a  tower  of  strength 
(or  strong  tower)  from  before  (from  the  face  or  presence  of)  tht 
enemy.  He  appeals  to  former  mercies  as  a  ground  for  his  present 
expectation.  The  verb  of  existence  is  here  emphatic  and  cannot, 
without  a  violation  of  usage,  be  translated  as  a  present,  which  is 
almost  invariably  suppressed  in  Hebrew.  The  enemy  is  a  collec- 
tive term,  or  one  denoting  an  ideal  person,  including  many  real 
individuals. 

6  (4.)  I  loill  sojourn  (or  abide)  in  thy  tent  (or  tabernacle)  ageb 
(or  eternities.,  i.  e.  forever)  ;  /  will  trust  (take  refuge  or  find 
'shelter)  in  the  shadow  of  thy  icings.  The  first  verb  is  in  the 
paragogic  form,  expressing  strong  desire  or  fixed  determination. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  3.  To  dwell  in  God's  tent  or  house  is  tc 
be  a  member  of  his  family,  to  enjoy  his  bounty  and  protection 
and  to  live  in  intimate  communion  with  him  See  above,  on  Ps. 
XV.  1.  xxiii.  6.  xxvii  4,  5.  David  hero  tacitly  appeals  to  the 
promise  recorded  in  2  Sam.  ch.  vii.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi  5  (4.) 


PSALM   LXl.  75 

The  beautiful  figure  for  protection  in  the  last  clause  is  the  same 
as  in  Ps.  xvii.  8.  xxxvi.  8  (7.) 

6  (5.)  For  thou^  oh  God^  hast  heard  (or  hearkened  to)  my  vncs 
(and  the  prayers  which  they  accompanied)  ;  thou  hast  given  me 
the  heritage  of  those  fearing  (or  the  fearers  of)  thy  narm^  i.  e. 
the  reverential  worshippers  of  thy  revealed  perfections.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  liv.  3(1.)  The  heritage  here  mentioned  is  par- 
ticipation in  the  honours  and  privileges  of  the  chosen  people, 
with  particular  though  tacit  reference  to  the  vicarious  royalty 
conferred  on  David,  and  ensured  to  his  posterity  in  answer  to  his 
prayers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi.  3 — 5  (2 — 4),  and  compare  2  Sam 
vii.  16. 

7  (6.)  Days  to  the  days  of  the  king  thou  wilt  add  ;  his  years 
(shall  be,  or,  thou  wilt  multiply)  like  generation  and  generation 
The  preposition  iu  the  first  clause  strictly  means  upon^  and  sug- 
gests the  idea  not  of  mere  addition  but  accumulation,  which 
would  also  be  conveyed  in  English  by  the  literal  translation,  days 
upon  days.  His  use  of  the  third  person  shows  that  he  does  not 
mean  himself  alone,  but  the  king  of  Israel  as  an  ideal  or  collec- 
tive person,  comprehending  his  posterity.  The  life  of  this  ideal 
person  would  of  couise  not  be  restricted  to  a  single  generation 
but  continued  through  many,  which  is  the  meaning  of  the  idio- 
matic expression  in  the  last  clause. 

8  (7.)  He  shall  sit  (enthroned)  to  eternity  before  God;  mercy 
and  truth  do  thou  provide;  let  them  preserve  him  (or  they  shall 
preserve  him.)  The  first  verb  suggests  the  two  ideas  of  continu- 
ance or  permanence  and  regal  exaltation.  See  above,  on  Ps  Iv. 
20  (19),  and  compare  2  Sam.  vii.  29.  Before  God.,  in  his  pre- 
sence and  under  his  protection.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  14  (13.) 
Provide^  prepare,  aiford,  or  have  in  readiness.  Mercy  and  Truth 
are  personified,  as  in  Ps.  xl.  12  fll.)  Ivii.  4  (3.)     Compare  Ps 


70  PSALM  LXII 

sliii.  3.      They  seem  to  be  here  represented  as  God's  messengers 
or  agents  in  preserving  his  Anointed. 

9  (S.)  So  icill  I  celebrate  thy  name  forever  ^  that  I  may  pay  rny 
votvs  day  (by)  day.  The  so  at  the  beginning  may  mean,  on  this 
condition,  when  this  prayer  is  granted  ;  or  more  probably,  in  this 
assurance,  in  the  confident  expectation  of  this  issue.  Celebrate 
musically,  both  with  instrument  and  voice.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ivii.  8  (7),  and  compare  Ps.  lix.  18  (17.)  That  I  may  pay, 
literally,  to  (or  for)  my  paying^  or,  as  some  explain  it,  by  my  pay- 
ing, which  however  is  a  rare  and'  dubious  use  of  the  infinitive. 
Day  (by)  day  or  day  (and)  day,  i.  e.  one  day  with  or  after  ano- 
ther, implying  not  only  frequency  but  regularity.  The  Vulgate 
version  of  this  idiomatic  phrase  is  de  die  in  diem. 


PSALM     LXII. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician  over  Jeduthun.  A  psalm  by  David. 
Jeduthun  seems  hero,  to  mean  the  family  or  choir  so  called  from 
the  Chief  Musician  of  that  name.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxix.  1. 
The  psalm  consists  of  three  equal  stanzas  or  strophes,  each  be- 
ginning with  the  pavticle  (TjJ!^)  only,  and  the  first  and  second  end- 
ing with  selah.  In  all  these  parts,  the  theme  or  burden  is  the 
same,  to  wit,  a  contrast  between  God  and  man,  as  objects  of 
confidence. 

2  (1.)  O^dy  to  God  (is)  my  soul  silent ;  from  him  (is)  my  sal- 
niton.  The  frequent  repetition  of  the  first  word  (Tjh)  is  cha- 
racteristic of  the  psalm  before  us.     In  all  these  cases  it  is  to  be 


PSALM   LXII.  77 

taken  in  its  strict  exclusive  sense  of  only.  See  above,  on  Pa. 
Iviii.  12  (11.)  Only  in  looking  towards  God  as  my  Saviour,  is 
my  soul  silent^  liteially,  silence.  See  above,  on  Ps,  xxii.  3  (2.) 
xxxix.  3  (2.)  This  trust,  and  this  alone,  can  set  bis  mind  at 
rest,  and  free  him  from  the  natural  disquietude  of  man  when 
alienated  from  his  God. 

3  (2.)  Only  He  (is)  my  rock  ami  my  salvation^  my  height 
fhigh  place,  refuge,  or  asylum);  I  shall  not  be  shaken  (moYcd 
from  my  firm  position)  much  (or  greatly.)  The  adverbial  use 
of  much  is  the  same  in  Hebrew  and  in  English.      This  qualified 

.expression  seems  to  be  intended  to  suggest,  that  he  does  not 
hope  to  escape  all  disaster  and  calamity,  but  onl}'^  such  as  would 
be  ruinous.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  24.  As  to  the  figures  in 
the  first  clause,  see  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  10  (9.)  xviii.  3  (2.)  He 
only.,  God  and  no  one  else,  can  be  such  a  protector. 

4  (3.)  Tfnfil  when  (how  long)  ivill  ye  break  loose  upon  (or  against) 
a  maUj  will  ye  murder  (i.  e.  seek  to  murder  him)  all  of  you  (com- 
bined against  a  single  person,  who  is  consequently)  like  a  wall  in- 
clined (or  bent  by  violence),  a  fence  (or  hedge)  crushed  (broken 
down  r)  That  the  last  clause  relates  to  himself  and  not  his 
enemies,  is  clear  from  the  continuation  of  the  same  description 
in  the  next  verse. 

5  (4.)  Only  from  his  elevation  they  consult  to  thrust  (him,  and  as 
a  means  to  this  end)  they  delight  in  falsehood ;  with  his  mouth, 
(i.  e.  with  their  mouths)  they  will  bless.,  and  in  their  inside  (in- 
wardly, or  with  their  heart)  they  will  curse.  Selah.  The  sud- 
den change  of  number  in  the  middle  of  the  verse,  and  indeed  tha 
whole  description,  are  like  those  in  Ps.  v.  10  (9.) 

6  (5.)  Only  to  God  be  still  my  soul.,  for  from  him  (is)  my  hope. 
The  view  just  taken  of  his  fellow  men  drives  him  back  to  God. 


"J8  PSALM    LXTl. 

and  he  cxliorts  himself  to  cherish  the  same  confiderice  which  he 
had  before  expressed.  Be  stilly  silent,  trusting,  and  submissive. 
See  above,  on  v.  2  (1),  and  compare  Ps.  xxxvii.  7.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  last  clause  is,  from  him  proceeds  whatever  I  desire  or 
hope  for. 

7  (6.)  Only  He  is  my  rock  (the  foundation  of  my  hope)  and  my 
%aIvatiGn  (i.  e.  its  source  and  author)-'-^?/  ^^^8'^^  place  (refuge  or 
asylum) — /  shall  not  be  moved  (or  shaken.)  This  more  absolute 
expression,  as  compared  with  v.  3  (2),  seems  to  indicate  a 
stronger  faith,  derived  from  the  previous  comparison  of  God  and 
man  as  objects  of  trust  and  affection. 

8  (7.)  Upon  God  (i.  e.  dependent,  founded  on  him)  is  7ny  sal' 
vation^  and  my  honour  (both  official  and  personal)  ;  the  rock  of 
my  strength  (my  strong  rock,  or  the  basis  upon  which  my  own 
strength  rests)  ;  my  hiding  place  (my  refuge)  is  in  God,  It  is  in 
his  presence,  favour  and  protection,  that  I  hide  myself  from  all 
my  enemies  and  all  my  dangers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  11  (10.) 
Ixi.  4  (3.) 

9  (8.)  Trust  in  him  at  every  time^  oh  people,^  pour  out  lefort 
him  your  heart ;  God  {is)  a  refuge  for  us.  Selah.  The  faith 
which  he  cherishes  himself  he  recommends  to  others  also.  At 
every  time^  not  merely  in  prosperity,  but  even  in  the  sorest  trials 
and  the  worst  extremities.  People^  not  merely  men  or  persons, 
but  people  of  God,  his  chosen  people.  To  pour  out  the  heart  is 
a  natural  and  lively  figure  for  a  full  disclosure  of  the  thoughts 
and  feelings.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  5  (4),  and  below,  on  Ps. 
cxlii.  3  (2),  and  compare  1  Sam.  i.  15.  Lam.  ii.  19.  The  last 
clause  gives  the  reason  of  the  exhortation,  and  indicates  its  ear- 
nestness by  a  solemn  pause. 

10  (9.)    Only  vanity   (are)  sons  of  Adam,  a  falsehood  sons  of 


PSALM    Lxrr.  79 

Man;  in  the  scales  (tliey  are  sure)  to  go  up  ;  they  are  of  vanity 
(or  less  than  vanity)  together.  As  to  the  supposed  antithesis 
between  men  of  high  and  low  degree  in  the  first  cLause,  see  above, 
on  Ps.  iv.  3  (2.)  xlix.  3  (2.)  Only  vanity^  see  above,  on  Ps. 
xxxix,  6  (5.)  A  falsehood^  something  that  deceives  expectation, 
a  false  confidence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  3  (2.)  Of  vanity^ 
composed  of  it,  containing  nothing  else  ;  or  giving  the  particle 
its  frequent  comparative  sense,  {less)  than  vanity^  or  (vainer) 
than  vanity  {itself.)  The  same  doubt  exists  as  to  the  meaning  of 
the  similar  expressions  in  Isai.  xl.  17.  xli.  24. 

11  (10.)  Tr\  i  not  in  oppression^  and  in  rohhery  become  not 
vain;  (on)  weahA^  ichen  it  groivs,  set  not  (your)  heart.  The 
first  two  nouns  are  used  together  in  Lev.  v.  23  (vi.  4)  to  signify  that 
which  is  acquired  by  violence.  They  are  not  therefore  to  be 
taken  as  distinct  grounds  of  confidence,  but  as  different  parts  or 
different  descriptions  of  the  same.  Become  not  vain.,  by  being 
assimilated  to  the  vain,  unsatisfying  objects  of  your  love  and 
hope.  See  2  Kings  xvii.  15,  and  compare  Jer.  ii.  5.  Job  xxvii. 
12.  The  word  translated  icealth  means  strictly  strength  or  power .^ 
but  is  applied  to  pecuniary  as  well  as  military  force.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xlix.  7  (6.)  Groics^  literally  sprouts^  or  springs  up  of  its 
own  accord,  perhaps  with  an  antithetical  allusion  to  wealth  gained 
by  violence.  Even  when  lawfullj'  or  accidentally  acquired,  set 
:jor  your  heart  upon  it.  This  phrase  in  Hebrew  sometimes  means 
nothing  more  than  to  apply  the  mind  or  give  attention,  and  so 
some  understand  it  here,  '  when  wealth  increases,  take  no  notice, 
think  not  of  it'  ;  but  the  stronger  sense  of  fixing  the  affections  on 
it,  loving  it,  and  trusting  it,  is  better  in  itself  and  better  suited  to 
the  context. 

12,  13  (11,  12.)  One  (thing)  hath  God  spoken,  these  two 
(things)  have  I  heard.,  that  strength  (belongcth)  unto  God.,  and 
(that)  unto  thee^oh  Lord   (belongeth)  mercy ^  fbut)  that  thou  wilt 


80  PSALM   LXII. 

render  to  a  man  according  to  his  deed  (or  doing.)  There  are 
really  three  attributes  of  God  here  mentione(i,  his  power,  his 
raercy,  and  his  justice  ;  but  as  the  last  is  only  introduced  to 
qualify  the  second,  by  a  kind  of  afterthought,  they  may  still  be 
reckoned  as  but  two.  The  construction  given  in  the  English  and 
many  other  versions  separates  the  sentences,  and  makes  the  first 
refer  to  a  repeated  utterance  or  revelation  of  the  one  truth  there 
propounded,  namely,  that  power  hdongeth  unto  God.  Instead  of 
one  things  two  things^  we  must  then  read  once  and  twice.  But 
this,  though  favoured  by  the  imitation  of  the  verse  before  us  Id 
Job  xxxiii.  14.  xl.  5,  is  not  the  most  obvious  construction  here 
It  is  evident  that  one  and  two.,  when  absolutely  or  elliptically 
used,  may  sometimes  mean  one  ti7ne,  (i.  e.  once)  and  tivo  times^ 
(i.  e.  twice)  ;  but  it  does  not  follow  that  the  same  words,  m  a 
different  connection,  may  not  mean  one  word  or  thing.,  two  words 
or  things.  It  is  also  a  familiar  practice  of  the  sacred  writers  to 
borrow  one  another's  words,  or  to  repeat  their  own,  with  some 
slight  change  of  sense  or  application.     The  pronoun  (tt)  in  v.  12 

(11)  may  be  either  a  demonstrative  or  relative,  and  on  the  latter 
supposition  we  may  read,  {there  are)  two  {things)  lohich  1 
have  heard;  but  the  other  is  a  simpler  and  more  obvious  con- 
struction.     The  apostrophe  or  sudden  change  of  person  in  v.  13 

(12)  is  a  figure  of  speech  common  in  the  psalms  of  David,  and 
indicates  a  growing  warmth  of  feeling,  so  that  He  who  had  ;ust 
been  calmly  spoken  of  as  absent,  is  abruptly  addressed  as  if  yc^.ea 
to  be  personally  present. 


l'>?Al.M    LXIU  m 


PSALM    L  X  I  1 1 . 

1.  A  Psalm  by  David^ in  his  being  (when  he  was)  2n ttifi,  wilder- 
ness of  Judah  This  is  the  wilderness  along  the  eastern  frontier 
of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  It  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the  history 
of  Absalom's  rebellion  and  of  David's  flight  before  him.  See 
2  Sam.  XV.  23,  28.  xvi.  2,  14.  xvii.  16.  In  that  history  we  also 
meet  with  several  of  the  very  same  expressions  tliat  are  here 
used,  which,  together  with  the  strong  internal  similarity  of  this 
psalm  to  some  others  having  reference  to  Absalom's  rebellion, 
such  as  Ps.  iii,  iv,  xlii,  Ixi,  suffice  to  show  that  it  belongs  to  the 
same  period,  and  not  to  that  of  Saul's  persecution,  which  is  in- 
deed forbidden  by  the  mention  of  the  king  in  v.  12  (11.)  The 
psalm  consists  of  two  parts,  each  exhibiting  essentially  the  same 
succession  of  ideas,  but  with  the  variation  usual  in  all  such  cases. 
Both  begin  with  the  expression  of  intense  desire  for  God's  pre- 
sence and  communion  M'ith  him,  and  end  with  a  confident  antici- 
pation of  his  mercy;  but  in  the  first,  vs.  2 — 9  (1 — 8),  this  is 
supposed  to  be  displayed  in  the  deliverance  of  the  Psalmist  from 
his  sufferings ;  in  the  second,  vs.  7 — 12  (6 — 11),  it  is  viewed  as 
securing  the  destruction  of  his  enemies. 

2(1.)    O  God^my  God  {art)  thou ;  I loill  seek  thee  early  ;  for 

".hee  thirsts  my  soul;  for  thee  longs  my  fleshy  in  a  dry  land^  weary  ^ 

withoiU  water.     The  second  divine  name   is   the  one  denoting 

power,  and  might  be   translated  here,  my  Mighty  {One)       The 

4* 


g.2  PSALM    LXIfl. 

very  usfl  of  it  involves  a  direct  appeal  to  God's  omnipotence 
The  verb  in  the  first  clause  is  connected  in  its  etymology  with  a 
noun  meaning  the  dawn  of  day,  which  occurs  above,  Ps.  Ivii.  9  (8.) 
The  modern  lexicographers  exclude  the  sense  of  early ^  and  sup- 
pose the  verb  to  mean  nothing  more  than  seek  in  English,  or  at 
most  to  seek  with  eagerness.  But  that  the  notion  of  time  is 
really  included,  seems  to  follow  from  the  antithesis  in  Isai. 
xxvi.  9.  The  act  of  seeking  a  thing  early  implies  impatience  or 
importunate  desire.  The  soul  and  the  flesh  together  mean  the 
whole  man.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  9.  There  is  evident  allu- 
sion to  the  actual  privations  experienced  by  David  in  the  wilder- 
ness of  Judah.  See  the  places  cited  in  the  note  upon  v.  1,  to 
which  add  2  Sam.  xvii.  2.  The  Hebrew  word  for  weary  is  there 
applied  to  David  himself,  which  requires  or  allows  the  same  ap- 
plication in  the  case  before  us,  especially  as  the  form  of  the 
adjective  is  masculine,  and  land  is  feminine.  The  strict  gram- 
matical concord  is  perhaps  with  Jlesh,  which  is  a  masculine  in 
Hebrew. 

3  (2.)  To  see  thy  power  and  thy  glory ^  so  (as)  I  have  beheld 
thee  in  the  sanctuary.  The  first  clause  states  the  object  of  the 
strong  desire  expressed  in  the  preceding  verse.  To  make  this 
connection  clear,  the  clauses  are  transposed  in  the  common  ver- 
sion, which  is  here  retained,  as  being,  on  the  whole,  the  best 
among  the  many  which  have  been  proposed.  One  of  the  latest 
makes  the  verse  an  acknowledgment,  that  he  had  actually  found 
a  sanctuary  in  the  desert,  because  it  is  always  to  be  found  where 
God  is  pleased  to  manifest  his  presence.  But  however  sound 
and  scriptural  this  sentiment  may  be,  it  can  hai'dly  be  extracted 
from  the  verse  before  us  without  violence. 

4  (3.)  Because  thy  favour  is  better  than  life,  my  lips  shall 
praise  thee  A  simpler  construction,  and  perhaps  more  agreeable 
to  Hebrew  usage,  is  that  which   makes  the  first  clause  give   a 


PSALM    LXlir.  g3 

reason  for  the  strong  desire  expressed  in  the  foregoing  verses ; 
for  thy  favour  is  better  than  lifc^  and  the  last  clause  merely  add 
a  piedfje  of  thankful  acknowledgment,  my  lips  shall  praise  thee. 
Better  thar^  hfe,  not  merely  than  the  life  I  now  live,  which  was 
scarcely  entitled  to  be  so  considered,  but  better  than  any  life  I 
could  live,  destitute  of  God's  favour,  which  is  therefore  more 
than  a  sufficient  substitute  or  compensation. 

5  (4.)  So  will  I  bless  thee  in  my  life^  in  thy  vume  loill  I  raise 
my  hands.  So^  that  is,  according  to  the  gift  bestowed.  Bless, 
i.  e.  praise  and  thank  thee.  See  above,  on  Ps  xvi.  7.  xxxiv. 
2(1.)  In  my  life  may  either  mean  as  long  as  I  live,  which  is 
the  obvious  and  usual  interpretation,  or  tchen  restored  to  life,  from 
this  state  of  living  death,  which  is  the  sense  preferred  by  some 
of  the  best  interpreters,  on  account  of  the  supposed  allusion  to 
better  than  life  in  the  preceding  verse  ;  but  it  is  far  from  being  the 
most  natural  construction.  In  thy  Tuime,  invoking  thee  as  the  object 
of  my  worship,  and  particularly  of  my  thankful  praise.  Lift  up 
my  hands  in  prayer,  and  more  specifically  here,  in  thanksgiving. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  3  (2.) 

6  (5.)  As  (with)  marroiv  and  fatness  shall  my  soul  be  satisfied^ 
and  (with)  lips  of  rejoicing  shall  my  mouth  praise  (thee.)  He 
continues  the  expression  of  his  joyful  confidence  and  hope.  Mar- 
row and  fatn£ss  are  used  to  represent  two  Hebrew  words  both 
meaning  animal  fat,  here  put  for  rich  food,  and  that  for  abund- 
ant supplies  of  every  kind.  Lips  of  rejoicings  may  denote  either 
joyful  lips,  or  lips  by  which  rejoicings  are  uttered.  The  uncon- 
ditional engagement  to  praise  God  implies,  as  usual,  a  firm  belief 
that  he  will  have  occasion  so  to  do.      See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.) 

7  (6.)  When  I  remember  thee  upon  my  bed,  in  the  watches  I 
will  meditate  upon  thee.     The   first  word  in  Hebrew  is  the  ono 


84  PSALM  LXIII. 

commonly  traaslatcd  if ;  but  the  condition  indicated  b  ii  ta 
sometimes  specifically  that  of  time.  There  seems  to  bi  refer- 
ence in  this  verse  to  the  old  division  of  the  night,  for  municipal 
and  military  purposes,  into  three  watches,  the  first  (L&m.  ii.  19) 
the  middle  (Judg.  vii.  19),  and  the  morning  watch  (Ex.  xiv. 
24.  1  Sam,  xi.  11.)  See  below,  on  Ps.  xc.  4.  /  '.vill  meditaU 
of  thee^  or  more  literally,  in  thee^  implying  an  entire  absorption 
of  his  powers  and  afiections  in  the  object.     See  above,  on  Ps 


8  (7.)  For  tliou  hast  lecn  a  help  to  me,  and  in  the  shadow  of 
thy  wings  will  I  rejoice.  The  protection  which  he  has  experi- 
enced already  he  is  sure  of  still  enjoying  in  the  time  to  come. 
The  translation  of  the  first  verb  as  a  present  {thou  art  my  help) 
not  only  weakens  the  antithesis  but  violates  a  constant  usage. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  lix.  17  (16.)  Ixi.  4  (3.)  The  image  pre- 
sented in  the  last  clause  is  the  same  as  that  in  Ps.  xvii.  8.  xxxvi 
8  (7.)   Ivii.  2(1.)   Ixi.  5  (4.) 

9  (8.)  My  soul  cleaves  after  thee,  thy  right  hand  holds  me.  This 
is  a  strong  metapliorical  description  of  the  mutual  relation  be- 
tween God  and  the  believer  ;  a  relation  of.  trustful  dependence 
on  the  one  hand,  and  of  constant  favour  and  protection  on  the 
other.  Cleaves  after  is  a  fVe(.|uent  phrase  for  folloivs  cleaving  to 
thee.  The  right  hand  is  the  constant  symbol  of  strength.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  36  (35.)  xliv.  4  (3.)  Ix.  6  (5.) 

10  (9.)  And  they  to  (their)  ruin  are  seeking  my  soul ;  they 
shall  go  into  the  depths  of  the  earth.  The  phrase  to  ruin  has 
precisely  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps.  xxxv.  8,  namely,  to  their  own 
destruction.  Are  seeking.^  will  seek  ;  the  idea  suggested  by  the 
future  is,  that  if  they  still  persist  in  seeking  it,  they  will  do  so 
to  their  own  destruction.  Some  obtain  the  same  sense  by  a 
different  construction,  they  (shall  come)  to  ruin  (who)  are  seek- 


PSALM    LXUl  85 

ing  my  wul ;  but  this  supposes  two  ellipses,  which  are  not  to  he 
assumed  without  necessity.  vStill  less  satisfactory  is  the  con- 
struction which  rep;arcls  the  whole  verse  as  a  single  proposition  : 
they  (who)  seek  my  soul  to  ruin  (or  destroy  it)  shall  go,  etc.  To 
seek  the  soul  implies  a  purpose  of  destruction,  without  any  quali- 
fying adjunct,  even  in  prose.  See  2  Sam.  xvi.  11.  The  depths 
of  the  earth,  literally,  its  lower  or  lowest  parts,  which  may  simply 
mean  the  grave  (as  we  sny  under  ground).,  or  contain  an  allusion  to 
the  fate  of  Korah  and  his  company  (Num.  xvi.  31 — 34.)  Seo 
above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  16  (lb.) 

11  (10.)  They  shall  be  abandoned  to  the  power  of  the  sword  y 
the  prey  of  jackals  shall  they  be.  The  literal  translation  of  the 
first  clause  is,  they  shall  pour  him  out  upon  the  hands  of  the 
sword.,  where  the  use  of  the  plural  verb  in  an  indefinite  or  pas- 
sive sense,  and  the  sudden  alternation  of  the  singular  and  plural 
form  in  speaking  of  the  enemy,  together  with  the  bold  and 
idiomatic  figures  of  a  sword  with  hands  and  men  poured  on 
them,  present  such  a  concurrence  of  apparent  solecisms  as  can 
be  made  intelligible  only  by  a  paraphrase.  The  word  translated 
frey  means  properly  a  share  or  portion;  it  occurs  above,  Ps. 
xi.  6.  xvi.  5.  The  other  noun  in  this  clause  is  the  common 
Hebrew  word  for  foxes,  but  is  used  with  so  much  latitude  as  to 
include  the  jackal,  which  sense  must  be  here  preferred,  as  the 
fox  does  not  prey  upon  dead  men,  unless  the  clause  be  under- 
stood to  mean  nothing  more  than  that  they  shall  be  left  lying  in 
the  desert,  where  these  creatures  have  their  home,  which  is  a 
good  sense,  but  much  weaker  than  the  one  just  put  upon  the 
?*ords. 

12  (11.)  And  the  king  shall  rejoice  in  God ;  (m  him)  shall 
every  one  boast  (oy  glory)  that  swears  by  him,  because  the  mouth 
of  those  speaking  falsehood  shall  be  shut  (or  stopped.)  Instead 
»f  the  personal  pionoun  he  inserts  his  official  title,  the  king,  \.  e. 


96  PSALM    LXIV. 

I  as  king.  Rejoice  in  God^  i.  e.  in  union  with  him  and  in  the 
exporienco  of  his  favour.  Boast  or  praise  himsrlf^  i.  e.  felicitate 
himself  on  the  possession  of  these  glorious  distinctions  and  ad- 
vantages. Swearing  by  him^  i.  e.  as  some  suppose,  by  the  king 
here  mentioned,  according  to  the  old  Egyptian  custom  (Gen. 
xHi.  15,  16),  of  which  we  find  some  traces  even  in  Israel  (1  Sam. 
Xvii  55.  XXV.  26.  2  Sam.  xi.  11.)  If  this  were  the  true  gram- 
matical construction  we  might  perhaps  explain  the  phrase  to 
mean  swearing  to  him^  i.  e.  swearing  fealty  or  allegiance,  doing 
homage  to  him  as  a  rightful  sovereign.  But  there  is  in  fact  no 
sufficient  reason  for  departing  from  the  obvious  construction 
which  refers  the  pronoun  to  the  nearest  antecedent,  God.  The 
last  clause  assigns  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  joy  and  triumph 
here  predicted,  namely  the  defeat  of  false  and  treacherous  insur- 
gents.    See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  5  (4),  and  compare  2  Sam.  xviii. 


PSALM    LXIV 


1.  To  the  Chief  Musician,  A  Psalm  hy  David.  The 
correctness  of  this  title  is  abundantly  established  by  the  marked 
internal  similarity  between  this  and  other  psalms  of  David.  Its 
very  structure  is  Davidic,  exhibiting  the  two  familiar  elements  of 
a  prayer  for  deliverance  from  wicked  enemies,  vs.  2 — 6  (1 — 5), 
ftnd  a  confident  anticipation  of  a  favourable  answer,  vs.  7 — 11 
(6-10) 

2  (1  )  Ilear.^  oh  God.^  my  voice  in  my  complaint ;  from,  fear  of 
the  enemy  thou  wilt  preserve  my  life.      Here,  as  in  Ps   liv.  3  (P 


PSALM    LXIV. 


87 


khc  expression  of  confidence  insinuates  itself  info  the  praj^er  itself. 
Complaint,  literally,  musings  meditation,  but  with  special  refer- 
ence to  sufferins:  and  dancrer.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  3  (2.^ 
Fear  of  the  enemy,  that  which  I  have  reason  to  fear  from  him. 

3  (2.)  T/iou  wilt  hide  me  from  the  secret  of  evil  doers,  from, 
{he  tumult  of  the  workers  of  iniquity.  By  secret  we  are  here  to 
understand  their  confidential  consultations  and  the  devices  there 
matured.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  14.  The  participle  doing 
evil,  used  as  a  noun  (t^vil  doers)  to  describe  the  whole  class  of 
wicked  men,  is  a  favourite  expression  of  David's.  See  above, 
Ps.  xxii.  17  (16.)  xxvi.  5.  xxvii.  2.  xxxvii.  1,  9.  As  sec rco?/ be- 
longs to  the  formation  of  the  plot,  so  does  noise  or  tumult  to  its 
execution.  The  same  figures  are  combined,  but  in  a  very  different 
application,  Ps.  Iv.  15  (14.) 

4  (3.)  Who  have  sharpened,  like  the  sicord,  their  tongue,  havt 
strung  their  arrow,  litter  speech.  The  figure  in  the  first  clause  is 
a  favourite  with  David.  See  above,  en  Ps.  lii.  4  (2.)  Ivii.  5  (4.) 
lix.  8  (7.)  Strung  their  arroio,  literally  trod  \\.  e.  bent)  it, 
which  must  either  be  explained  as  an  ellipsis — bent  their  (bow  to 
shoot  their)  arrow — or  as  a  poetical  transfer  to  the  arrow  of  what 
is  strictly  applicable  only  to  the  bow.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Iviii. 
8  (7.)  The  figure  of  an  arrow  is  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the 
poignant  pain  produced  by  insult  and  calumny,  which  is  also  well 
expressed  by  the  epithet  hitter.  Compare  Deut.  xxxii.  24.  1 
Sam.  XV.  32. 

£  (4.)  To  shoot  in  secret  places  {at)  the  perfect ;  suddenly  they 
will  shoot  him,  and  will  not  fear .  With  the  first  clause  compare 
Ps.  X.  8.  xi.  2.  The  perfect,  the  sincere  and  upright  servant  of 
God,  who  is  free  from  all  fatal  and  essential  defect  of  character. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xv.  2.  xviii.  24.  (23.)  vii.  9  (8.)  xxv.  21.  xxvi 
1,  11.  xxxvii.  37,  in  the  last  of  which  places  the  Hebrew  adjec- 


8S  PSALM    LXIV. 

tivG  has  the  same  form  as  in  the  case  before  us.  And  will  not 
fear  J  i.  e.  without  being  deterred  by  the  fear  of  God  or  man 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  20  (19.) 

6  (5.)  T/iey  icill  strengthen  for  themselces  an  evil  word  ;  they 
will  tell  ahout  hiding  snares  ;  they  have  said,  who  will  see  to  them  ? 
To  strengthen  is  to  make  strong,  to  construct  so  as  to  be  strong 
An  evil  word  is  an  idiomatic  phrase  for  a  malignant  plot,  so 
called  because  it  is  the  fruit  of  mutual  discourse  and  consultation 
Sec  above,  on  Ps.  xli.  9  (8.)  Tell  about^  count  and  recount 
their  various  devices,  past  and  present.  See  above,  on  Ps.  lix. 
13  (12.)  The  interrogation  in  the  last  clause  is  an  indirect  one  , 
the  equivalent  direct  form  would  be,  who  loill  see  to  '?is,  i.  e 
regard  us  .^  Compare  Ps.  x.  11.  lix.  8  (7.) 

7  (6.)  They  search  out  iniquities ;  (thej  say)  We  are  ready — 
a  consummate  plan  !  and  the  inward  thought  and  heart  of  [every) 
man  (is)  deep.  ^  hey  i-ack  their  invention  and  ransack  their 
memory  for  modes  of  doing  mischief.  We  are  ready,  literally 
finished,  just  as  we  might  say  in  English,  tee  are  done.  I'he  next 
phrase  consists  of  a  passive  participle,  derived  from  the  verb  at 
the  beginniDg  of  the  sentence,  and  a  cognate  noun.  The  parti- 
csple  here  corresponds  to  exquisite,  recherche,  something  not  to  be 
had  without  laborious  search,  and  the  noun  describes  the  product 
of  the  search  itself.  The  last  clause  is  added  to  enhance  the 
danger,  by  representing  the  device  as  springing  not  from  shallow, 
superficial,  but  profound  contrivance.  Inward  thought,  literally 
inside,  an  equivalent  to  heart  often  used  by  David.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  v.  10  (9.)  xlix.  12  (11.)   Iv.  16  (15.)  Ixii.  5  (4.) 

S  (7.)  But  God  has  shot  them — tvith  an  arroio — suddenly- — 
the  ■wounds  are  theirs.  By  an  ab]-upt  but  beautiful  transition  h^ 
describes  the  tables  as  completely  turned  upon  the  enemy 
The  antithesis   is    rendered    veiy  sti iking  by   the  rept^tition  o* 


PSALM   LXIV  89 

the  verb,  noun,  and  adverb  used  in  vs.  4,  5  (3,  4.\  Just  as  they 
are  about  to  shoot  an  arrow  suddenly  at  the  righteous,  God 
shoots  an  arrow  suddenly  at  them.  The  wounds  which  they 
intended  to  inflict  on  others  have  become  (^"'i^)  their  own. 
When  they  thought  to  strike  others,  they  were  struck  themselves. 
The  general  idea  is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  vii.  12 — 17  (11 — 16.) 
liii.  6  (5.)  Ivii.  7  (6.)  The  adversative  particle  at  the  beginning 
is  substituted  for  the  simple  copulative  of  the  Hebrew,  to  make 
the  transition  or  antithesis  more  obvious  in  English.  See  above, 
onPs.  lii.  10  (8.)  Iv.  14  (13.) 

9  (8.)  And  he  has  cast  them  doion;  upoT?  thein  [comes)  their 
own  tongue  ;  all  shall  Jiee  gazing  at  tliem.  Cast  down^  literally, 
made  to  fall  or  stumble.  See  the  use  of  the  same  verb  in  histor- 
ical prose,  2  Chron.  2b.  8,  and  compare  the  original  of  2  Chron. 
xxviii.  23.  The  canstruction  is  indefinite,  as  in  Ps.  Ixiii.  11  (10), 
they  have  cast  him  down^  i.  e.  he  is  cast  down,  meaning  the  enemy 
as  an  ideal  person,  who,  according  to  the  usage  of  these  psalms, 
is  immediately  afterwards  referred  to  in  the  plural  number. 
Their  tongue.,  i.  e.  the  consequences  of  their  false,  malignant 
speeches  and  their  mischievous  deliberations.  The  verb  in  the 
last  clause  is  an  intensive  form  of  the  one  used  in  Ps.  xxxi. 
12  (11.)  Iv.  8  (7.)  Gazing  at  them^  not  simply  seeing  them, 
but  seeing  with  emotion,  whether  that  of  wonder,  joy,  or  terror. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  liv.  9  (7.)  lix.  11  (10.)  The  clause  seems  to 
contain  an  allusion  to  the  flight  of  the  people,  when  the  earth 
opened  to  devour  Korah  and  his  company.  Num.  xvi.  34. 

10  (9.)  And  all  men  fear,  and  pronounce  {it)  God^s  doing, 
and  his  work  they  understand.  The  conversive  futures  show  the 
dependence  of  the  sentence  upon  that  which  goes  before  it  and 
'iescribe  the  action  not  as  actually  past,  but  as  directly  conso- 
c[uent   upoa  the  great   catastrophe    described  in  the   preceding 


90  PSALM    LXV. 

eontext.  And  declarcA  the  work  of  Gcd,  i.  e.  pronounced  it  to 
be  such.  C)mpare  Ex.  viii.  19.  His  work  they  uiidei  stand.  \.  e. 
no  longer  foolishly  ascribe  it  to  mere  chance  or  human  agency. 

11  (10.)  Glad  shall  the  righteous  he  in  Jehovah^  and  shall  trust 
m  him  ;  and  (in  him)  shall  boast  (or  glory)  all  the  upright  in 
heart.  Having  described  the  effect  of  the  divine  interposition  on 
tlie  wicked  and  on  men  in  general,  he  now  shows  how  it  will  affect 
the  righteous.  In  Jehovah  means,  as  usual,  in  union  with  him 
and  possession  of  him.  The  word  translated  trust  is  that  which 
seems  originally  to  denote  the  act  of  seeking  shelter  under  an 
overshadowing  object.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  8  (7.)  With 
the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  Iviii.  11  (10.)  Ixiii.  12  (H.j 


P.SAL  M    LXY. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  A  Psahi.  By  David.  A  S'jnp, 
i.  e.  a  song  of  praise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlviii.  1.  xlii.  9  fS.) 
God  is  first  praised  in  general,  as  a  God  of  mercy  and  benevo- 
lence to  all  men,  vs.  2 — 9  (1 — 8),  and  then  in  particular,  as  the 
giver  of  fruitful  seasons  and  abundance,  vs.  10 — 14  (9 — 13.) 

2  (1.)  To  thee  fbelongeth)  silence,  praise,  oh  Godwin  Zion, 
and  to  thee  shall  he  paid  the  vow  The  two  words  silence-praite 
form  a  kind  of  compound  term,  like  humility-righteousness  in 
Ps.  xlv.  5  (4,)  meaning,  as  some  suppose,  silent  p^-aise,  but  this  is 
hardly  consistent  with  the  fact  that  the  praise  here  offered  is 
vocal.  More  probably  it  means  such  praise  as  is  accompanied 
by  a  cessation  of  all  tumultuous  and  passionate   excitement.  See 


PSALM    LXV.  91 

above,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  2,  6  (1,  5.)  In  Zion^  as  the  appointed  placjc 
of  prayer  and  praise  under  the  old  economy.  The  hist  clause 
implies  that  fresh  occasion  was  continually  given  for  thankful 
vows  and  their  fulfilment,  by  the  constant  repetition  of  God's 
providential  favours. 

3  (2.)  Hearer  of  -prayer^  up  to  thee  shall  all  flesh  come.  Tho 
first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  participle,  hearing^  thou  who  habitually 
hearest  prayer.  This  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  divine  cha- 
racters or  attributes.  Up  to  thee^  even  to  thee,  implying  actual 
arrival,  and  therefore  a  stronger  expression  than  unto  thee.  All 
Hesh  sometimes  means  all  animals,  all  living  creatures  (Gen.  vi. 
17,  19),  but  is  here  used  in  its  narrower  sense  of  all  mankind 
(Gen.  vi.  3,  12.)  To  thee  they  shall  come,  i.  e.  must  come,  for 
the  supply  of  their  necessities,  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins,  and 
in  short  for  every  good  and  perfect  gift  (James  i.  17),  both  of  a 
temporal  and  spiritual  natuie. 

4  (3.)  Words  of  iniquities  arc  too  strong  for  me  ;  (as  forj  our 
transgressions^  thou  wilt  expiate  them.,  or  forgive  them  for  the  sake 
of  an  atonement.  Words  of  iniquities  is  by  some  regarded  as 
a  pleonastic  paraphrase  for  iniquities  themselves.  More  pro- 
bably, however,  the  phrase  means  the  charge  or  accusation  of 
iniquity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  1.  xli.  9,  (8),  and  below,  on 
Ps.  cv.  27.  Too  strong  for  me.,  more  than  I  am  able  to  account 
for  or  endure.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  13  (12),  and  below,  on  Ps. 
cxxx.  3.  The  last  clause  contains  the  encouragement  suited 
to  the  alarming  situation  mentioned  in  the  first. 

5  (4.)  Happy  (he  whomj  thou  wilt  choose  and  bring  (him) 
near.,  i.  e.  admit  him  to  thy  presence  and  to  intimate  communion 
with  thee,  (so  that)  he  shall  inhabit  thy  courts  ;  we  shall  be  sated, 
satisfied  or  filled,  with  the  good.,  i.  e.  the  pleasure,  the  enjoyment, 
of  thy  house.,  the  holy  (place)  thy  temple,  or  thy  holy  temple,  thy 


92  PSALM   LXV. 

sanctuary,  an  expression  used  both  of  the  tabernacle  and  the 
temple  properly  so  called.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  The 
privilege  described  is  not  merely  that  of  public  worship  at  the 
place  of  God's  appointment,  but  of  residence  in  his  family  and 
participation  in  the  privileges  of  his  household.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  XV.  1.  xxiii.  6.  The  change  from  the  third  person  singular 
to  the  first  plural  shows  that  the  former  was  only  an  individuali 
zation  of  the  church  or  chosen  people. 

6  (5.)  Feai-ful  things  in  righteousness  thou  unit  answe?'  ws,  oh 
God  of  our  salvation,  the  confidence  of  all  the  ends  of  the  land 
and  sea — (even)  the  furthest.  Thou  wilt  give  us  fearful  ansv/ers 
to  our  prayers,  i.  e.  such  as  are  suited  to  excite  religious  rever- 
ence and  awe.  The  confidence,  the  object  of  their  trust.  Earth 
(or  land)  and  sea  are  put  together  to  describe  the  whole  world, 
and  the  ends  of  both  for  the  remotest  countries,  which  idea  is 
then  expressed  directly,  by  the  word  at  the  end  of  the  sentence. 
The  superlative  cannot  be  expressed  in  Hebrew,  but  is  here 
suggested  by  the  context.  The  sense  is  not  that  all  men  actually 
feel  this  trust  in  God,  but  that  whether  they  feel  it  or  not,  they 
are  really  dependent  upon  him  alone.     Compare  Isai.  xlii.  4. 

7  (6.)  Fixing  the  mountains  hy  his  strength,  girded  with 
fewer.  This  verse  accounts  for  the  dependence  of  all  creatures 
upon  God  by  a  reference  to  his  almighty  power,  which  is  not 
described  in  general  terms,  but  by  one  of  its  eifects  or  acts,  the 
settling  of  the  mountains,  as  the  most  solid  and  immovable 
.portions  of  the  earth.  He  is  then  metaphorically  represented  as 
girded  or  invested  with  power.     See  below,  on  v.  13  (12.) 

8  (7.)  Stilling  the  roar  of  %ms,  the  roar  of  their  waves,  the 
tumult  of  nations.  The  sentence  is  continued  from  the  foregoing 
verse.  God  not  only  formed  the  material  universe  at  first,  bui 
still  controls  it.  There  is  here  a  beautiful  transition  from  the 
literal  to  the  figurative  use  of  the  same  language.     It  is  true,  in 


PSALM    LXV.  93 

klio  strict  sense,  that  God  stills  the  raging  of  the  seas  ;  but  it  is 
also  true  that  he  subdues  the  commotion  of  human  societies  and 
states,  of  which  the  sea  is  a  natural  and  common  emblem.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  3,  4  (2,  3.)  Hence  he  adds  in  express  termSj 
the  tumult  of  Tiations. 

9  (8.)  Then  were  afraid  those  inhabiting  the  ends  (or  most 
distant  parts)  of  thy  signs  ;  the  outgoings  of  morning  and  evening 
thou  wilt  make  to  shout  (or  sing.)  Then  is  not  expressed  in 
Hebrew,  but  employed  in  the  translation  to  show  the  dependence 
of  the  verb  on  that  of  the  preceding  sentence.  The  sense  is  that 
whenever  God  thus  stills  the  tumult  of  the  nations,  even  the 
remotest  are  affected  by  his  signs,  i.  e.  the  sensible  indications  of 
his  presence  and  immediate  agency.  Outgoings  is  a  local  noun 
in  Hebrew,  and  denotes  the  places  where  the  evening  and  the 
morning  come  forth  or  begin,  i.  e.  the  points  at  which  the  sun  sets 
and  rises,  the  east  and  west,  here  put  for  eastern  and  western 
lands,  and  these  for  their  inhabitants.  That  the  fear  mentioned 
in  the  first  clause  is  not  mere  slavish  dread,  but  an  affection  per- 
fectly compatible  with  joy,  is  clear  from  the  remainder  of  the 
sentence. 

10  (9.)  Thou  hast  visited  the  earth  and  dre7iched  it ;  thou  wilt 
r^u^h  enrich  it ;  the  river  of  God  is  full  of  water  ;  thou  wilt 
fripare  their  corn,  for  thus  thou  dost  prepare  it,  i,  e.  the  earth, 
for  this  very  purpose.  God  is  said  to  visit  his  creatures  when  he 
manifests  his  presence  with  them,  whether  in  the  way  of  judgment 
or  of  mercy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4.)  Drenched,  soaked, 
or  made  to  overflow.  The  word  translated  much  is  the  same  as  in 
Ps.  Ixii.  3  (2.)  The  river  of  God,  as  opposed  to  earthly  streams. 
However  these  may  fail,  the  divine  resources  are  exhaustless. 
Tktir  corn,  that  required  for  men's  subsistence.  See  above,  on 
Pb.  iv.  8  (7.)     The  meaning  of  the  last  clause  seems  to  be  that 


94  PSALM     LXV. 

he  who  provides  rain  to  fertilize  the  earth,  may  be  expected  to 
provide  the  fruit  itself. 

11  (10.)  Its  furroios  drench^  its  ridges  leat  doiDn ;  icith 
showers  thou  wilt  soften  it ;  its  vegetation  thou  wilt  bless.  The 
first  verb  means  to  vrater  abundantly,  the  second  to  lower  or  beat 
down,  implying  a  great  violence  of  rain.  The  word  translated 
showe?-s.,  according  to  its  etymology  and  usage,  denotes  frequent 
and  abundant  rains.  Soften.,  dissolve,  or  loosen  it.  The  Hebrew 
verb  is  a  derivative  of  that  in  Ps.  xlvi.  7  (6.)  Vegetation.^ 
germination,  that  which  sprouts  or  springs  up  from  the  seed  when 
sown.  Some  make  the  verbs  in  the  first  clause  infinitives, 
determined  by  the  finite  tenses  which  precede  and  follow.  But 
their  form  permits  them  to  be  taken  as  imperatives,  from  which 
the  transition  to  the  future  is  entirely  natural  and  in  accordance 
with  the  usage  of  David's  psalms,  M'henever  an  expression  of 
confident  anticipation  is  to  be  immediately  subjoined  to  one  of 
strong  desire.     See  above,  on  Ps.  liv.  3  (1.) 

12  (11.)  Thou  hast  crowned  the  year  of  thy  goodness.,  and  thy 
'paths  drop  fatness.  The  first  clause  may  either  mean,  thou  hast 
crowned  the  year  icith  thy  goodness,  or,  as  some  prefer  to  construe 
it,  thou  hast  crowned  the  year  of  thy  goodness,  the  year  distin- 
guished by  thy  goodness,  with  particular  instances  and  proofs  of 
that  goodness.  The  obvious  meaning  of  the  strong  but  beautiful 
figure  in  the  last  clause  is,  that  wherever  he  appears  his  move- 
ments are  attended  by  a  rich  and  fertilizing  influence.  Fatness 
is  as  usual  a  figure  for  rich  food,  and  that  for  general  abundance 

13  (12  )  They  drop — the  pastures  of  the  wilderness^  and  (with) 
ioy  the  hills  are  girt.  The  word  translated  pastures  properly 
means  dwellings.,  but  is  specially  applied  to  folds  and  pastures,  aa 
the  places  to  which  flocks  resort.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiii.  1. 
The  word  translated  loilderncssy  according  to  its  most  probable 


PSALM   LXVI.  95 

etymology,  originally  signifies,  not  a  barren  desert,  but  a  tract  of 
country  neither  tilled  nor  thiclily  peopled,  though  perhaps  luxur- 
iant and  abundant  as  a  pasture  ground.  The  general  metaphor 
of  clothing  which  occurs  in  the  next  verse,  is  here  anticipated  by 
the  specific  one  of  a  girdle,  sat  that  which  surrounds  the  body  and 
confines  the  dress.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  33  (32.) 

14  (13.)  T/ie  pastures  are  clothed  with  JlockSy  and  the  vales 
$hall  be  robed  in  grain  ;  they  shall  shout  (for  joy),  ym^  they  shall 
sing.  Some  translate  the  first  clause,  the  Jlocks  are  clothed  icith 
lambs,  denying  that  the  first  noun  in  Hebrew  ever  means  pastures. 
But  see  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  20.  The  image  presented  in  the 
first  translation  is  certainly  more  natural  and  beautiful.  It  alho 
makes  the  parallelism  more  complete,  the  fields  being  covered  by 
the  waving  crops  in  the  same  sense  that  the  meadows  are  covered 
by  the  grazing  flocks.  In  the  last  clause  the  pastures  and 
valleys,  by  a  beautiful  personification,  are  described  as  breaking 
forth  into  shouts  of  joy  and  songs  of  praise.  See  above,  on  Ps 
k.  10  (8.) 


PSALM     LXVI. 

!.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  A  Song.  A  Psalm.  Shoiu 
v,fUo  Gody  all  the  earth  I  The  second  clause  of  the  inscription 
represents  it  as  a  psalm  of  praise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  1. 
This  is  confirmed  by  the  contents  and  structure  of  the  psaliu 
itself,  in  which  we  havj,  first,  a  general  celebration  of  God's 
wonderful  dealings  with  Lis  people  in  all  ages,  fs.  1 — 7  ;  then  a 
similar  acknowledgment  of  what  he  had  done  m  »  particular  oaso. 


96  PSALM   LXVI. 

vs.  8 — 12  ;  and  lastly  a  pledge  or  promise  of  thanksgiving,  vs. 
13 — 20.  The  resemblance  to  the  forty-sixth  psalm  has  led  some 
to  suppose,  that  this  psalm  was  occasioned  by  the  same  event,  or 
composed  in  imitation  of  the  other,  for  the  use  of  the  church  in 
similar  emergencies.  The  verb  shoitt  is  plural  in  its  form,  which 
shows  that  earth  has  a  collective  sense.  ^ 

2.  Sing  the  honour  of  his  name;  give  (him)  honour^  (gi^^) 
him  praise.  The  honour  or  glory  of  his  name  is  that  due  to  his 
manifested  excellence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  2.  Give.,  literally 
'place  or  jpnt^  the  verbs  expressing  these  ideas  being  often  inter- 
changed in  Hebrew.  The  same  phrase  that  is  here  used  occurs 
also  in  Jos-h.  vii.  19.  Jsai.  xlii.  12,  and  is  clearly  equivalent  to 
give  honour  in  Ps.  xxix.  1,  2.  Ixviii.  35  (34.)  Jer.  xiii.  16.  The 
form  of  the  last  clause  is  peculiar,  give  honour  (as  or  to)  his 
praise. 

3.  IToio  fearful  are  thy  doings !  In  the  greatness  of  thy 
strength  shaR  thine  enemies  lie  to  thee.  Here  begin,  as  some  in- 
terpreters suppose,  the  words  in  which  the  required  praise  is  to 
be  rendered  to  Jehovah  ;  an  admissible,  though  not  by  any 
means  a  necessary  supposition.  The  first  clause  may  likewise  be 
translated,  how  fearful  (art  thou  in)  thy  doings^  after  the  analogy 
of  V.  5  below,  the  ellipsis  of  the  pronoun  being  similar  to  that  in 
Ps.  Ixviii.  36  (35.)  In  the  greatness  of  thy  strength.,  i.  e.  because 
of  it,  or  rather  in  the  knowledge  and  belief  of  it.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  V.  8  (7.)  Lie  to  thee.,  make  false  professions  of  allegiance, 
yield  a  feigned  obedience,  through  the  influence  of  fear.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  45  (44.) 

4.  All  the  earth  shall  worship  thee  and  sing  to  thee  ;  the.y  shall 
sing  thy  name.  Sclah.  Here  again  the  verbs  are  plural,  showing 
that  all  the  earth  is  to  be  taken  iii  a  collective  sense,  as  meaning 
all  lands.,  or  all  the   dwellers  upon  earth.     Seo  above,  on  v.  1 


PSALM    LXVK  07 

TT^'orskip  thee,  bow  or  prostrate  themselves  before  thee,  as  an  act 
both  of  civil  and  religious  homage.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7. 
They  shall  not  only  sing  to  thee  but  sing  thy  name,  i.  e.  not  only 
celebrate  thy  being  but  thy  manifested,  nature,  the  attributes  re- 
vealed by  thy  previous  works.  This  anticipation  of  universal 
homage  to  Jehovah  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  whole  spirit 
and  design  of  the  Mosaic  dispensation. 

0.  Go,  'ite  the  icorks  of  God,  fearful  (in)  action  on  the  sons  of 
man.  The  verb  go  is  often  used  in  Hebrew,  as  a  formula  of 
invitation  or  of  challenge,  where  in  English  we  say  come.  See 
below,  V.  16,  and  compare  Isai.  2.  3,  5.  In  this  case,  however,  go 
may  be  intended  to  express  something  more  than  would  have  been 
expressed  by  come.  The  meaning  may  be,  if  you  do  not  believe 
these  general  declarations  of  God's  power  and  dominion,  go  and 
see  for  yourselves  the  proofs  already  given  in  the  history  of  man- 
kind, and  more  especially  in  that  of  Israel :  go  to  Egypt,  to  the 
Red  Sea,  to  the  Wilderness,  to  Jordan,  and  in  the  wonders  there 
performed  and  still  repeated  in  the  experience  of  the  church,  see 
the  evidence  that  God  is  indeed  possessed  of  a  tremendous  power 
to  control  and  influence  mankind.  With  the  first  clause  compare 
Ps.  xlvi.  9  (S),  the  only  other  place  where  the  word  nibs's?^ 
occurs. 

t).  He  turned  the  sea  into  the  dry  (land)  ;  through  the  river  they 
shall  pass  on  foot ;  there  will  tee  rejoice  in  him.  There  is  an 
obvious  allusion  to  the  crossing  of  the  Red  Sea  and  the  Jordan, 
not  as  mere  historical  events,  but  as  types  or  samples  of  God's 
extraordinary  interpositions  on  behalf  of  Israel,  such  as  might  be 
realized  again  in  their  experience.  Hence  the  promiscuous  use  of 
preterite  and  future  forms,  as  if  to  say,  the  God  of  Israel  will 
again  turn  the  Red  Sea  into  dry  land  for  the  passage  of  his  peo- 
ple ;  if  need  be,  they  shall  again  cross  the  Jordan  dry  shod  ;  there, 
on  the  scene  of  these  miraculous  events,  shall  we  again  rejoice  in 

VOL.    II.  5 


98  PSALM    LXVT. 

him.  The  combination  of  sea  and  river  seems  to  show  that  by 
the  latter  we  must  understand  Jordan,  and  not  as  some  interpreters 
suppose,  the  Euphrates,  which  is  commonly  so  called.  But  see 
Isai.  xi.  15,  16.  Zech.  x,  11. 

7.  Ruling  by  his  might  forever  ;  his  eyes  over  (or  among)  the 
nations  ivatch  ;  let  not  the  rebels  exalt  themselves.  Selah.  The 
participle  in  the  first  clause  is  expressive  of  habitual  action, 
*  he  constantly,  habitually  rules.'  See  above,  Ps.  xxii.  29  (28.) 
By  his  mighty  with  which  he  was  before  described  as  girded.  Sec 
above,  Ps.  Ixv,  7  (6.)  The  noun  eternity  is  used  adverbially  to 
mesm  forever.  The  divine  inspection  here  described  implies  that 
man  can  no  more  evade  God's  power  than  resist  it.  The  last 
clause  may  be  either  a  prayer  to  God  or  an  admonition  to  his 
enemies.  Exalt  themsclces :  the  Keri  or  marginal  reading  is  be. 
high  for  them  (or  for  themselves)  ;  the  Kethib  or  textual  reading, 
hft  for  raise)  for  themselves^  in  which  case  horn  may  be  supplied 
from  Ps.  Ixxv.  5,  6  (4,  5),  or  head  from  Ps.  ex.  7.  The  rebels, 
i.  e.  against  God,  his  stubborn  and  incorrigible  enemies. 

8.  Bless,  oh  ye  nations.,  our  God.,  cause  to  be  heard  the  voice  of 
his  praise  !  To  the  general  description  of  God's  gracious  dispen- 
sations towards  his  people  there  seems  now  to  be  added  the 
commemoration  of  a  particular  event  of  this  kind  ;  not  one  of 
merely  local  interest,  however,  but  of  such  importance,  that  the 
nations  are  invited  to  unite  in  praising  God  for  it.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xviii.  50  (49.)  xxii.  28  (27.) 

9.  The  {one)  putting.,  who  puts,  oiir  soul  in  life.,  and  has  not 
given  (up)  to  removal  our  foot.,  has  not  allowed  it  to  move  or 
slip.  The  unusual  expression  in  the  first  clause  seems  to  mean 
restoration  to  life,  a  figure  for  relief  from  great  distress,  which  i."3 
not  unfrequently  described  as  death.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxx. 
4  (3.)  xlix.  16  (15.)     To  set  in  life  is  not  unlike  the  phrase  to 


PSA.LM    LXVI  99 

tPt  in  safety,  Ps,  xii.  6  (5.)  The  form  of  expression  in  the  last 
clause  is  analogous  to  that  in  Ps.  Iv.  23  (22)  above,  and  identical 
with  that  in  Ps.  cxxi.  3  below.  Given  up  to  removal,  suffered  to 
be  moved  from  its  firm  position  or  its  place  of  safety. 

10.  For  thou  hast  tried  us,  oh  God,  thou  hast  purged  (or 
assayed)  us  like  the  purging  of  silver,  as  silver  is  purged,  with 
particular  reference,  as  some  suppose,  to  the  long  continued  and 
repeated  process  of  refinement  necessary  in  the  case  of  silver. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xii.  7  (6.)  xxvi.  2,  and  compare  Isai.  i.  25. 
xlviii.  10.  Zech.  xiii.  9.  1  Pet.  i.  7.  The  general  idea  here  is 
that  of  affliction,  as  a  means  both  of  trial  and  purgation,  and  is 
carried  out  in  the  following  verses. 

11.  Thou  hast  caused  us  to  come  into  the  net ;  thou  hast  put 
pressure  in  our  loins.  The  first  clause  is  descriptive  of  complica- 
ted difficulties  and  embarrassments,  the  second  of  suffering  and 
weakness.  The  word  translated  net  occurs  above  in  the  very 
different  sense  of  a  tower  or  fortress,  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  But  even 
when  so  used,  it  strictly  means  a  hunting  tower,  i.  e.  a  post  of 
observation  and  of  safety  used  by  hunters,  and  from  the  same 
root  ("::i:2  to  hunt)  may  be  deduced  the  sense  of  net  or  snare,  as 
a  customary  implement  of  hunting,  in  which  sense  it  is  certainly 
employed  by  Ezekiel  (xii.  13.)  The  word  translated  pressure 
occurs  only  here,  but  its  essential  meaning  is  clear  from  its  ety- 
mological affinities.  Compare  the  cognate  form  in  Ps.  Iv.  4  (3.  j 
Some  suppose  the  idea  to  be  that  of  a  superincumbent  pressure, 
load  or  burden,  corresponding  to  the  verb  as  used  in  Amos  ii.  13. 
Others  make  pressure  mean  contraction,  stricture,  and  by  neces- 
Bary  implication,  pain  or  anguish.  The  loins  are  mentioned  as  the 
Beat  of  strength  (Deut.  xxxiii.  (11),  an  injury  to  which  implies 
hoth  pain  and  weakness      See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  24  (23.) 

12.  Thou  hast  caused  (or  suffered  men  to  ride  at  our  head. 


100  PSALM   LXVI. 

we  came  into  the  fire  and  into  the  waters,  and  (now)  thou  hasi 
caused  us  to  come  forth  to  abundance^  overflow,  i.  e.  of  enjoyment. 
Man^  frail  or  mortal  man,  whose  tyranny  is  therefore  the  more 
insupportable.  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4.)  This  first  clause 
is  ambiguous,  in  Hebrew  as  in  English.  To  ride  at  our  head^ 
though  an  exact  translation,  suggests  only  the  idea  of  command 
or  guidance,  whereas  some  kind  of  suffering  is  required  by  the 
context.  The  common  version,  to  ride  over  our  heads^  presents 
the  image  of  horsemen  trampling  on  their  conquered  enemies. 
Some  suppose  the  idea,  to  be  that  of  ridvig  on  us,  as  a  man  con- 
trolls  and  guides  the  horse  that  carries  him.  The  head  must  then 
be  mentioned  only  as  the  noblest  part,  without  implying  that  the 
rider  actually  sits  upon  it.  But  this  very  circumstance  makes  the 
interpretation  an  unnatural  and  forced  one.  Fire  and  water ^ 
as  the  two  great  destroying  elements,  are  common  figures  for  dis- 
tress and  danger.  Compare  Isaiah  xliii.  2.  The  last  Hebrew 
word  in  the  verse  occurs  only  here  and  in  Ps.  xxiii.  5. 

13.  T  will  come  {to)  thy  house  with  hurnt-offeringi  ;  I  will  jpay 
to  thee  my  vows,  i.  e.  the  offerings  thus  promised.  His  acknow- 
ledgmt-nts  shall  not  be  merely  verbal  or  mental,  but  ceremonial,  i.  e. 
expressed  in  the  symbolical  form  required  by  the  dispensation 
under  which  he  lived.  The  reference  is  neither  to  internal  feel- 
ings nor-  to  outward  rites  exclusively,  but  to  both  together.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xl.  7  (6.)  1.  8.  li.  18  (16.)  With  the  last  clause, 
compare  Ps.  Ixv.  2  (l.j  The  sudden  change  of  number,  from 
the  plural  to  the  singular,  shows  that  what  follows  is  the  words  of 
an  ideal  speaker,  representing  the  same  persons  who  had  spoken 
in  the  foregoing  context,  if  not  identical  with  them. 

14.  Which  my  lips  uttered  and  my  mouth  spake  in  my  distress 
The  first  verb  is  a  very  strong  and  expressive  one,  in  this  con- 
nection not  unlike  our  familiar  phrases,  bolted,  blurted  out,  imply- 
ing t\^at  he  spoke  from  some  irresistible  impulse,  and   thus  sug- 


PSALM   LXVI  ^01 

gesting  what  is  afterwards  explicitly  affirmed,  that  the  vows  in 
question  were  occasioned  by  extreme  distress.  The  Hebrew  verb 
originally  means  to  open  or  distend  the  lips,  whether  as  a  gesture 
of  mockery  (Lara.  ii.  16)  or  menace  (Ps.  xxii.  14),  or  for  the  pur- 
pose of  articulate  speech  (Job  xxxv.  16.)  That  its  absolute  use, 
in  special  reference  to  vows  spontaneously  and  hastily  uttered, 
was  familiar  to  the  ancients,  may  be  seen  from  Judg.  xi.  35,  36, 
In  my  distress  :  the  original  expression  is,  in  the  distress  to  me 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  7  (6.) 

15.  Burnt-offerings  of  failings  will  loffer  to  thee ,  with  incense 
of  rams  ;  I  tvill  make  (an  oblation  of)  cattle  loith  he-goats.  Sclah. 
The  word  translated  fatlings  is  especially  applied  to  lambs,  Isai. 
V.  17.  The  verb  is  the  first  clause  in  the  one  from  which  the 
noun  rendered  burnt-offering  is  derived,  and  strictly  means  1 
will  cause  to  ascend^  i.  e.  upon  the  altar,  or  in  vapour  from  it. 
Incense  may  here  be  taken  in  its  etymological  sense  of  something 
burnt  sacrificially,  although  in  usage  limited  to  aromatic  fumiga- 
tions, which  is  also  the  case  with  the  Hebrew  word  in  every  plaoe 
but  this,  where  it  seems  to  mean  the  sacrificial  fat  that  was 
burned  upon  the  altar.  The  verb  to  7nake  is  absolutely  used,  as 
a  technical  term  of  the  Mosaic  Law,  to  denote  the  act  of  sacri- 
fice. See  Ex.  xxix.  36.  Lev.  ix.  7,  and  compare  Judg.  vi.  19. 
1  Kings  xviii.  23,  26.  The  different  species  of  victims  are  enu- 
merated here,  to  convey  the  idea  of  a  regular  and  perfect  sacri- 
fice, implying  more  than  ordinary  thankfulness. 

16.  Go  (or  in  our  idiom,  come),  hear,  all  ye  fearers  of  (ye  that 
fear)  God,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  he  hath  done  to  (or  for)  my 
soul.  The  fearers  of  Jehovah  is  a  common  description  of  be- 
lievers or  the  people  of  God.  See  Ps.  Ix.  6  (4.)  Ixi.  6  (5. J  The 
invitation  is  like  that  in  Ps.  xxii.  24  (23.)  Tell,  in  the  primary 
sense  of  counting  or  numbering,  and  the  secondary  one  of  re- 
counting  or  relating.      To  my  soul,   i.  e.  to  me,  whose  life     oi 


02  PSALM    LXVr. 

soul  was  threatened.  To  me  as  the  object  of  the  act  alluded  to^ 
or  for  77i(?,  as  the  person  to  be  benefited.  This  address  prepares 
the  way  for  the  ensuing  declaration,  founded  on  his  own  experi- 
ence, that  it  is  only  by  sincere  submission  and  devotion  to  God 
that  his  protection  is  to  be  secured. 

17.  To  him  (with)  my  mouth  I  called^  and  high  praise  (exalta- 
tion) was  under  my  tongue.  By  a  slight  change  in  the  pointing, 
or  by  supposing  an  irregularity  of  punctuation,  the  last  clause 
may  be  rendered,  he  was  extolled  under  my  tongue^  i.  e..  by  means 
of  it  as  an  instrument  of  praise.  But  as  a  corresponding  plural 
form  occurs  below,  Ps.  cxlix.  6,  the  Hebrew  word  (S?2in)  is  pro- 
bably a  noun,  meaning  lofty  praise,  or  exaltation  by  means  of 
praise.  Undzr  my  tongue  may  be  simply  equivalent  to  qn  or 
icith  my  tong'-ujP,.,  or  it  may  be  intended  to  suggest  the  additional 
idea  of  a  store  or  deposit  of  such  praises  still  in  reserve,  to  be 
employed  hereafter,  which  some  suppose  to  be  the  meaning  of  the 
phrase  in  Ps.  x.  7. 

18.  Iniquity  if  I  have  seen  in  my  hearty  the  Lord  will  not  hear. 
If  T  had  any  wicked  end  in  view,  God  would  not  hear  my  prayer. 
The  same  idea  is  expressed  in  Prov.  xv.  29.  Isai.  i.  15.  lix.  2 
John  ix.  31.  1  John  iii.  22.  It  is  here  stated  as  the  ground 
on  which  he  means  to  argue  his  own  innocence  of  any  such  cor- 
rupt design,  and  actually  does  so  in  the  next  verse. 

.  19.  (But)  verily  God  hath  heard  ;  he  hath  attended  to  the  voice 
of  my  prayer.  The  Hebrew  particle  at  the  beginning  is  strictly 
not  adversative  but  affirmative.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxi.  23  (22.) 
It  is  equivalent  in  force  to  our  expressions,  whereas.,  really.,  in 
fad.,  etc.  The  doubt  subjected  in  the  foregoing  verse  had  been 
removed  in  his  case  by  the  application  of  the  test  there  mentioned. 
God  had  already  heard  his  prayer  '  ad  thereby  borne  witness  that 
be  was  not  guilty  of  the  duplicity    a  question. 


PSALM   LXVll.  103 

(20.)  Blessed  (bej  God  ivho  hath  not  'put  away  my  'prayer 
(from  him)  and  his  mercy  from  me.  Here  as  elsewhere,  when 
applied  to  God,  blessed  can  only  mean  praised  or  entitled  to  bo 
praised  The  double  application  of  the  verb  in  the  last  clause 
cannot  well  be  imitated  in  translation.  The  same  word  in 
Hebrew  may  be  used  to  express  the  act  of  rejecting  a  petition, 
and  that  of  withdrawing  or  withholding  favour. 


PSALM     LXVII 


1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  With  (or  on)  stringed  instruments. 
A  Psalm^  a  Song,  i.  e.  a  psalm  of  praise.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixvi.  1.  For  the  meaning  of  the  second  clause  of  this  inscription, 
see  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  1,  and  compare  Ps.  Ixi.  1.  The  psalm 
before  us,  like  the  sixty-fifth,  seems  to  have  special  reference  to 
the  manifestation  of  God's  goodness  in  the  gift  of  fruitful  seasons 
and  abundant  harvests.  See  below,  on  v.  7  (6),  and  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixv.  1.  But  from  this  the  Psalmist,  or  the  Church,  of  which 
he  is  the  spokesman,  takes  occasion  to  anticipate  the  extension  of 
God's  covenanted  gifts,  both  temporal  and  spiritual,  to  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  This  expectation  is  indeed  the  burden  of 
the  psalm,  its  immediate  occasion  being  only  mentioned  inciden- 
tally near  the  close,  yet  not  so  obscurely  as  to  make  it  doubtful. 
Any  formal  division  of  this  short  and  simple  composition  can 
only  tend  to  mar  its  beauty 

2  (1.)  God  be  merciful  unto  us  and  bless  us,  and  cause  his  face 
to  shine  upon  us  !     The  form  of  expression  is  evidently  borrowed 


104  PSALM   LXVII. 

from  the  sacerdotal  benediction,  Num.  vi.  24,  25,  but  with  a 
substitution  of  the  first  person  plural  for  the  second  singular,  so 
as  to  convert  the  authoritative  blessing  upon  others  into  an 
expression  of  desire  for  themselves.  The  optative  meaning  ol 
the  senten-se  is  determined  bj  the  form  of  the  second  verb  in 
Hebrew.  Ujponi  us,  literally  icith  us,  a  form  of  speech  probably 
intended  to  suggest  the  idea  of  the  divine  presence  and  commu'- 
nion.  As  to  the  figure  in  the  last  clause,  set,  above,  on  Ps.  iv 
7  (6.)  xxxi.  17  (16.; 

3  (2.)  That  thy  ^oay  may  he  known  in  the  earthy  in  all  notions 
thy  salvation.  The  original  construction  of  the  first  clause  is,  to 
know  in  the  earth  thy  loay  ;  but  the  sense  can  only  be  made  clef^r 
in  English  by  a  passive  form.  Thy  tvay,  i.  e.  thy  mode  of  deal- 
ing with  thy  people,  referring  more  particularly  here  to  providen- 
tial favours,  the  knowledge  of  which  he  hopes  to  see  extended  to 
all  nations,  as  a  means  to  the  promotion  of  still  higher  ends. 
The  pleonastic  phrase,  saving  health,  retained  in  the  authorized 
version  from  an  older  one,  has  nothing  corresponding  to  it  in 
the  Hebrew  but  the  single  word  which  always  means  salvation 
and  is  commonly  so  rendered. 

4  (3.)  The  nations  shall  acknowledge  thee,  oh  God,  the  nations 
ihall  acknmdedge  thee — all  of  them.  The  common  version  of  the 
verb  here  twice  used  {praise)  is  too  wide.  As  it  is  commonly 
applied  to  the  acknowledgment  of  benefits,  a  nearer  equivalent  is 

.  thank.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  10  (9.) 

5  (4.)  Nations  shall  joy  and  triumph,  because  thou  sha it  judge 
-peoples  (in)  rectitude,  and  nations  in  the  earth — thou  shall  guide 
them.  The  divine  guidance  implies  protection  and  control. 
Compare  Isai.  Iviii.  11.  The  anticipation  of  universal  happiness, 
as  springing  from  the  judicial  acts  of  the  Messiah,  is  not  unusual 


PSALM    LXVIl.  Jq5 

in  prophecy.  See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  12—14,  and  compare  Isai. 
ii.  3.      The  word  translated  rectitude  occurs  above,  Ps.  xlv.  7  (6.) 

6  (5.)  The  nations  shall  achioulcdge  thee,  oh  God,  the  nations 
shall  ackrA)wledge  thee— all  of  them.  This  repetition  shows  the 
anticipation  here  expressed  to  be  the  principal  though  not  the 
primary  subject  of  the  psalm.  The  position  of  the  universal 
terms,  at  the  close  of  this  verse  and  v.  4  (3),  is  highly  emphatic, 
and  precludes,  in  the  most  explicit  manner,  all  restriction. 

7  (6.)    The  earth  (or  land)  has  yielded  her  produce;   God  will 
'ss  us,  (even)  our    God.     The  translation  of  the  first  verb  as  a 

future  is  entirely  gratuitous,  and  therefore  ungrammatical. 
Correctly  rendered,  it  affords  a  hint  of  the  immediate  occasion  of 
the  psalm  itself.  The  mutual  relation  of  the  clauses  is  that  of  a 
thankful  acknowledgment  for  gifts  received  already  to  a  joyful 
and  believing  expectation  of  the  same  hereafter.  God  has 
blessed  us,  and  since  he  is  our  own  God,  he  will  bless  us  still. 


S  (7.)  God  will  bless  us,  and  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  fear 
him.  The  God  who  has  bestowed  this  harvest  on  us  will  continue 
to  afford  us  tokens  of  his  covenant  love  and  faithfulness  ;  and  the 
day  is  coming  when  the  intimate  relation  which  we  now  sustain  to 
him  will  be  extended  to  all  nations.  JE7ids  of  the  earth,  even  the 
remotest  countries,  but  of  course  without  excluding  those  at 
hand.  It  is  really  tantamount  to  saying  all  lands  or  thp.  ichole 
uirth.     See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  8. 


106  PSALM  LXVIU. 


PSALM     LXYIII. 

1,  To  the  Chief  Musician.  By  David.  A  Psalm  jf  Praise. 
kxieraliy,  a  psalm,  a  song,  but  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  1.  Ixvi,  1. 
Lx\rii.  1.  This  psalm,  like  the  eighteenth,  which  it  very  much 
resembles,  is  a  triumphal  song,  occasioned  by  some  signal  victory 
or  success  in  war,  perhaps  that  recorded  in  2  Samuel  xii.  26 — 31, 
which  closed  the  last  important  war  of  David's  reign.  The 
psalm  opens  with  a  general  praise  of  God  as  the  deliverer  of  the 
righteous  and  destroyer  of  the  wicked,  vs.  2 — 7  (1 — 6.)  This  is 
theii  illustiated  and  confirmed  by  a  reference  to  certain  periods 
in  i)i3  history  of  Israel,  and  first  to  the  march  through  the  wilder- 
ness, vs  8 — il  (7 — 10.)  Th.en  comes  the  period  of  the  judges, 
vs.  12 — 15  (ll — 14.)  Then  the  erection  of  the  monarchy  on 
Zion,  and  its  confirmation  by  the  victory  just  achieved,  vs.  16—^ 
20  (15—19.)  This  is  then  represented  as  a  part  of  the  general 
plan  of  Jehovah's  dealings  with  his  people,  vs.  21 — ^24  (20 — 23.) 
The  ti'iainphal  procession  is  described,  vs.  25 — ^28  (24 — 27.) 
All  this,  however,  is  but  a  specimen  or  foretaste  of  a  universal 
conquest  yet  to  come,  vs.  29 — 32  (28 — 31.)  In  anticipation  of 
this  revolution,  'he  nations  are  summoned  to  unite  in  the  praises 
of  Jehovah,  vs.  JC — 36  (32 — 35.)  The  resemblance  of  this  last 
part  to  the  corresponding  parts  of  the  two  preceding  psalms  may 
account  for  the  posiiioa  of  the  one  before  us. 

2  (1.)  God  shall  arisi7,  his  enemies  shall  scatter;  those  hating 
hivi  shall  Jlee  before  hivi.     This  verse  propounds,  as  the  theme  of 


PSALM   LXVlir.  107 

the  whole  psalm,  a  fact  continually  verified  in  history.  There  is  also 
an  obvious  allusion  to  the  form  of  speech  uttered  by  Moses  at  the 
removal  of  the  ark,  the  symbol  of  God's  presence.  See  Num.  x. 
35.  The  wish  there  expressed  is  here  said  to  be  realized. 
Hence  the  change  of  the  imperative  (n?3qp)  into  a  future  (ts^p^j), 
showing  that  this  verse  has  not  an  optative  meaning  {let  GqcI 
arise) ^  but  is  declaratory  of  what  certainly  will  be  hereafter,  as  it 
has  been  already,  in  the  case  which  gave  occasion  to  the  psalm. 
The  present  time  is  not  excluded,  but  involved  in  the  general 
proposition,  that  it  must  and  will  be  so.  Shall  scatter  is  a  more 
exact  translation  of  the  Hebrew  verb  than  he  scattered^  although 
the  idea  is  undoubtedly  that  of  involuntary  violent  dispersion. 
Before  him^  from  his  face,  or  from  his  presence.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  ix.  4  (3.)  Ixi.  4  (3.) 

3  (2.)  Ao  smoke  is  driven,  thou  wilt  drive  (them)  ;  as  wax  is 
melted  before  fire,  the  wicked  shall  perish  before  God.  The  form 
of  expression  is  the  same  as  in  the  preceding  verse,  from  the 
face  of  fire,  from  the  face  (or  preseiice)  of  God.  The  verb  in  the 
first  clause  is  the  same  with  that  in  Ps.  i.  4,  where  the  wind,  im- 
plied here,  is  expressly  mentioned,  as  the  driving  or  propelling 
agent.  The  comparison  with  wax  is  a  common  one  in  Scripture, 
and  occurs  above,  in  Ps.  xxii.  15  (14.)  With  the  last  clause 
compare  the  conclusion  of  the  Song  of  Deborah  (Judg  v.  31),  of 
which  there  are  various  imitations,  or  at  least  reminiscences,  in 
this  psalm. 

4  (3.)  Avd  the  righteous  shall  be  glad  ;  they  shall  triumph  be- 
fore God,  and  shall  joy  with  gladness.  This  is  true  not  only  of 
righteous  individuals  but  of  righteous  nations,  and  especially  of 
Israel,  as  such  considered,  although  many  of  its  members  were 
unrighteous.  But  these  are  not  considered  as  really  belonging  to 
the  church  or  chosen  people,  but  are  classed  among  the  wicked 


108  PSALM    LXVIfl. 

enemies  of  God.     Before  God  shall  the  rightaous  rejoice,  as  the 
wicked  flee  before,  him. 

5  (4.)  Sing  unto  God^  celebrate  his  name,  cast  up  (a  highway) 
for  the  (one)  riding  through  the  deserts ,  by  his  name  Jah,  and  ex- 
ult before  him.  The  second  clause  alludes  to  the  opening  of  roada 
for  kings  and  armies.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  23,  and  compare 
Isai.  xl,  3.  Mai.  iii.  1.  The  common  version  of  the  verb  {extol) 
conveys  an  idea  wholly  foreign  from  the  usage  of  the  Hebrew 
word.  Riding,  i.  e.  journeying,  or  giving  it  a  military  applica- 
tion, marching.  The  common  version  of  the  next  noun  {Jieavens) 
is  entirely  unauthorized  by  usage.  The  Hebrew  word  is  one  still 
applied  by  the  Arabs  to  the  region  over  which  the  Israelites 
wandered  forty  years.  The  idea  here  suggested  is  more  fully 
carried  out  in  vs.  8 — 10  (7 — 9.)  By  his  name  Jah  ,  i.  e.  in  the 
character  denoted  by  this  name,  which  is  an  abbreviation  of 
Jehovah,  peculiar  to  the  song  of  Moses  (Ex.  xv.  2)  and  the  later 
imitations  of  it.  See  my  notes  on  Isai.  xii.  2.  xxxviii.  11.  The 
people  are  summoned  to  prepare  for  the  reception  of  this  glorious 
visitor. 

6  (5.)  TPather  of  orphans  and  judge  of  loidows  (is)  God  in 
his  abode  of  holiness.  One  of  the  most  glorious  divine  characteis 
is  that  of  a  protector  of  the  innocent  and  helpless.  Judge,  vin- 
dicator, patron,  one  who  does  them  justice.  His  abode  of  holi^iess 
cannot  in  this  connection  denote  heaven,  but  must  be  referred  to 
his  peculiar  residence  among  his  chosen  people.  It  was  there 
that,  both  by  the  provisions  of  this  law  and  the  dispensations  of 
his  providence,  he  asserted  his  right  to  the  exalted  chc:  acter  here 
claimed  for  him. 

7  (6.)  God  makes  the  lonely  dwell  in  houses,  makes  tne  captives 
come  forth  into  enjoyments  ;  only  rebels  (stiW)  inhabit  a  dry-land 
(pr  desert).     This,  though  a  general  proposition,  seems  to  hav*}  a 


PSALM   LXVIII.  109 

special  x*eference  to  the  change  in  the  condition  of  the  Israelites, 
when  brought  out  of  the  wilderness  into  possession  of  the  promised 
land.  The  participles  in  the  original  {settling^  bringing  out) 
express  habi:ual  or  customary  acts.  In  houses^  literally,  in  a 
house^  or  still  more  closely,  to  a  house,  the  idea  of  removal  being 
really  implied.  The  word  might  also  be  translated  homewards  or 
at  home.  The  last  word  in  this  clause  occurs  nowhere  else,  and 
Las  been  vaiiously  explained  to  mean  in  chains^  by  force.,  and 
into  'pleasures  or  enjoyments,  which  last  is  now  preferred  by  most' 
interpreters. 

8  (7.^  Oh  God,  in  thy  going  out  before  thy  people,  in  thy 
marching  through  the  icilderncss,  Selah.  The  sentence  is  com- 
pleted in  the  next  verse,  being  here  divided  by  a  pause  of  solemn 
and  admiring  recollection.  The  general  description  of  the  fore- 
going verses  is  now  conjSrmed  and  illustrated  by  a  reference  to 
the  exodus  from  Egypt  and  the  journey  through  the  wilder- 
ness. Before  thy  people,  in  the  pillar  of  cloud,  as  their  guide  and 
their  commander.  Thy  marching,  literally,  thy  stepping,  treading ^ 
or  more  exactly  still,  thy  step  or  tread.  To  make  the  allusion 
still  more  pointed,  the  word  for  wilderness  is  not  the  one  com- 
monly so  rendered,  but  one  borrowed  from  Deut.  xxxii.  10. 

9  (8.)  The  earth  shook,  nay,  the  heavens  dropped,  this  Sinaiy 
at  the  presence  of  God,  the  God  of  Israel.  Dropped,  discharged 
drops,  rained.  This  is  mentioned  as  a  natural  and  usual  accom- 
paniment of  a  thunder-storm.  This  Sinai  probably  means,  thig 
{was  at)  Sinaij  and  should  be  read  as  a  parenthesis.  The  usual 
construction  not  only  requires  a  verb  to  be  repeated  or  supplied, 
but  yields  an  obscure  and  doubtful  sense,  as  no  reason  can  be 
given  why  Sinai  should  be  called  this  Sinai,  and  the  version 
Shiai  itself  is  unauthorized  by  usage.  The  first  clause  is  descrip- 
tive of  the  grand  and  terrible  phenomena  attending  the  theophany 
at  Sinai.     See  Ex.  xix.  16 — 18. 


110  PSALM   LXVril. 

10.  (9.)  J.  rain  of  free  gifts  thou  pom-est  down,  oh  God  ;  thira 
inheritance,  and  (that)  exhausted,  thou  dost  confirm  (or  strengthen) 
it.  The  first  clause  probably  refers  to  the  abundant  and  refresh- 
ing gifts  (of  which  rain  is  a  natural  and  common  emblem)  be- 
stowed upon  the  people  in  the  wilderness,  including  manna,  quails, 
and  water.  The  future  tense  is  like  those  in  Ps.  xviii.  7  (6.) 
Pour  doivn,  literally,  shake  or  shake  out.  Thine  inheritance,  thy 
people.  The  construction  is  that  of  an  absolute  nominative,  («5 
to)  thine  inheritance.  The  next  clause  heightens  the  description 
by  suggesting  that  the  gift  came  precisely  when  it  was  most 
needed. 

11  (10.)  Thy  flock  hath  dwelt  therein;  thou  wilt  provide,  m 
thy  goodness,  for  the  wretched.  The  first  noun  strictly  means  an 
animal,  and  more  especially  a  beast,  but  was  probably  employed 
as  a  collective  to  denote  a  herd  or  flock,  in  which  sense  it  was 
figuratively  applied  in  David's  time  to  a  company  or  troop  of  men, 
(2  Sam.  xxiii.  11,  13.)  Therein^  i.  e.  in  the  land  of  promise, 
which  was  present  to  the  writer's  mind,  though  not  expressly 
mentioned  in  the  context.  See  below,  vs.  15  (14)  and  compare 
Isai.  viii.  21.  Thou  wilt  provide,  indefinitely,  whatsoever  may  be 
needed  ;  or  more  specifically,  wilt  prepare,  i.  e.  prepare  a  home, 
a  resting  place.  The  future  tense  describes  it  as  a  customary 
method  of  proceeding  upon  God's  part,  but  specially  exemplified 
in  the  case  of  Israel,  who,  until  his  settlement  in  Canaan,  might 
well  be  called  a  sufi"erer,  a  wretched  or  afflicted  one. 

12  (11.)  The  Lord  will  give  the  ivord  ;  the  (ivomen)  publishing 
(it)  are  a  great  host.  As  to  the  future,  see  above,  on  vs.  10,  11. 
(9,  10.)  Word  here  means  tidings,  news,  and,  as  the  whole 
sonnection  shows,  good  news,  which  is  also  suggested  by  the  word 
translated  publishing,  but  in  usage  constantly  applied  to  jojful 
tidings.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  10  (9.)  There  is  obvious  allusion 
to  the  ancient  oriental   custom   of  women  celebrating  victories 


PSA.LM   LXVIll        .  lU 

srith  song  and  dance.  See  Ex.  xv.  20.  1  Sam.  xviii.  6,  7.  The 
reference  is  not  to  any  one  occasion,  but  to  an  ideal  choir  chant- 
ing all  the  victories  of  some  great  period,  perhaps  that  of  the 
Judges. 

13  (12.)  Kings  of  armies  shall  Jlee^  shall  flee^  and  she  that  taT" 
rieth  at  home  shall  divide  the  spoil.  The  flight  described  is  not 
that  of  kings  alone,  but  of  kings  at  the  head  of  armies.  The 
repetition  of  the  verb  denotes  the  certainty  and  completeness  of 
the  rout.  The  dwcllei-  in  the  house  is  by  some  literally  understood 
to  mean  the  woman  who  takes  no  part  in  the  battle.  But  others 
regard  it  as  a  figure  for  the  chosen  people,  dwelling  quietly  at 
home,  after  the  disappearance  of  their  enemies,  when  "  the  land 
had  rest,"  Judg.  v.  31.  viii.  28. 

» 

14  (13.)  When  ye  lie  down  between  the  border s^  (ye  shall  be 
like)  the  wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver  and  her  pinions  with 
yellow  gold.  The  general  idea  seems  to  be  that  when  "  the  land 
had  rest,"  her  condition  was  one  of  peaceful  prosperity.  The 
common  version  of  the  first  clause  (though  ye  have  lien  among  the 
pots)  is  justified  neither  by  rabbinical  tradition  nor  the  ancient 
versions.  The  Hebrew  noun  occurs  only  here  and  in  Ezek.  xl. 
43,  where  it  is  equally  obscure,  and  the  cognate  forms  in  Gen. 
xlix.  14.  Judg.  V.  16  are  scarcely  less  so.  The  only  meaning, 
besides  those  already  mentioned,  which  has  any  probability,  is 
that  oi  folds  or  sheep-cotes.,  ^jiog  among  which  might  be  viewed  as 
a  poetical  figure  for  rural  or  pastoral  repose,  thus  amounting  to 
the  same  thing  with  the  first  translation,  which  describes  the 
people  as  residing  quietly  between  the  borders.,  i.  e.  within  the 
boundaries  or  frontiers  of  their  territory,  now  once  more  forsaken 
b}?  the  enemy.  The  beautiful  allusion  in  the  last  clause  to  the 
changeable  colours  of  a  dove's  plumage,  seems  intended  to 
suggest  the  idea  of  a  peaceful  but  splendid  prosperity. 


112  •  PSALM    LXVITI 

15  (14.)  M^en  the  Almightly  scatters  kings  therein.,  it  snows  h 
Zalmon.  The  change  from  war  to  peace  is  likened  to  the  daz- 
zling whiteness  of  snow  in  the  midst  of  blackness  or  darkness. 
This  last  idea  is  conveyed  by  Zalmon.,  an  unimportant  eminence 
near  Shechem,  paitly  perhaps  in  reference  to  the  dark  forests 
which  covered  it  (Jiidg.  ix.  48),  but  chiefly  to  the  meaning  of  the 
name  itself,  to  wit,  shade  or  shadow.  The  parallel  term,  snow., 
suggests  the  idea  of  the  brightest  light.  See  Ps.  li.  9  (7.)  Isai. 
i.  IS.  Mark  ix.  3.  Matth.  xxviii.  3.  Rev.  i.  14,  and  compare 
Matth.  xvii.  2.  Some,  with  far  less  probability,  explain  the  verse 
as  meaning  that  the  land  was  whitened  with  the  slain,  as  Zalmon 
was  with  snow  ;  but  this  ascribes  too  great  an  altitude  to  Zalmon 
The  Hebrew  construction  in  the  first  clause  is,  in  the  Almighty''s 
scattering  kings.)  i.  e.  at  the  time  of  his  so  doing.  The  divine 
name  here  used  is  not  the  one  -so  frequently  translated  Mighty 
in  the  Psalms,  but  the  patriarchal  title  mentioned  in  Ex.  vi.  3. 
Compare  Gen.  xvii.  1.  xxviii.  3.  It  is  here  introduced  because 
the  events  in  question  were  remarkable  exertions  and  displays  of 
God's  omnipotence.  Scattered  here  means  routed,  put  to  flight. 
See  above,  vs.  13  (12),  and  compare  the  use  of  the  same  Hebrew 
verb  in  Zech.  ii.  10  (6.) 

Id  (15.)  A  mount  of  God  (is)  Mount  Bashan,  a  mount  of 
peaks  (or  ridges)  is  Mount  Bashan.  The  first  phrase  means  a 
mountain  showing  forth  the  creative  power  of  God  by  its  vastness. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  7  (6.)  Mou7it  Bashan.,  not  a  single 
eminence,  but  the  lofty  range  of  Antilibanus,  also  called  Hermon., 
and  by  other  races,  Sion  and  Sirion.  See  Deut.  iii.  9.  iv.  48, 
Ps.  xlii.  7  (6.)  Ps.  Ixxxix.  13  (12.)  The  last  two  names  would 
be  apt  to  suggest,  by  a  fortuitous  resemblance  that  of  the  holy 
hill  of  Zion.  A  mount  of  peaks  or  ridges,  i.  e.  not  a  detached- 
mountain,  but  a  chain  with  many  lofty  summits,  forming  the 
northern  boundary  of  Bashan.  At  the  same  time,  the  exprcs- 
pions   of  this  verse   would   necessarily  suggest  the   idea  of  great 


PSALM    LXVIII.  113 

states  or  kingdoms,  of  which  mountains  are  the  standing  symbols. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  3  (2.)  Ixv.  7  (6.) 

17  (16.)  WTiy  will  ye  watch ^  (ye)  hills^  (ye)  ridges^  the  hill 
God  hath  desired  for  his  dwelling  ?  Yca^  Jehovah  will  inhabit 
it)  forever.  The  interrogative  form  implies  disapprobation  and 
contempt.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  1.  The  verb  occurs  nowhere 
else  in  the  Old  Testament,  but  its  meaning  has  been  preserved  iu 
Arabic,  namely,  to  watch  as  an  enemy,  to  lie  in  wait,  or,  as  somo 
allege,  to  view  with  envy.  Common  to  both  is  the  idea  of  hostility 
or  ill-will.  The  translation  of  this  verb  in  the  Eno-lish  Bible 
(leap)  and  in  the  Prayer  Book  Version  (hop)  seems  to  rest  on 
mere  conjecture.  The  two  nouns,  hills  and  ridges,  are  by  some 
supposed  to  form  a  sort  of  compound,  ridge-hills,  i.  e.  high  or 
rugged  hills.  Compare  the  phrase  wine-reeling,  Ps.  Ix.  5  (3.) 
The  plural  form  may  denote  the  several  peaks,  or  the  whole  class 
which  this  range  of  mountains  merely  represented.  Zion  is  here 
described  as  an  object  of  hostility  or  envy  to  the  mountains  of 
the  heathen  world,  on  account  of  the  honour  put  upon  it  by 
its  being  chosen  as  the  earthly  residence  of  God.  Having  first 
poetically  said  that  he  desired  it,  i.  e.  preferred  and  chose  it,  to 
preclude  all  doubt  as  to  the  event,  the  psalmist  adds,  not  only  so, 
but  he  does  and  will  dwell  there  for  ever.  The  verbs  of  the 
second  and  third  clause,  although  synonymous,  are  not  identical 
in  Hebrew.  There  is  evid(mt  significance  in  the  choice  of  the 
divine  names  here  employed.  Not  only  did  he  choose  it,  as 
Elohim,  for  his  dwelling,  but  he  actually  dwells  there  as  Jehovah, 
as  the  God  of  revelation  and  the  covenanted  God  of  Israel. 

IS  (17.)  The  chariots  of  God  (are)  two  myriads,  multiplied 
thousands  ;  the  Lord  is  among  them,  Sinai  in  the  sanctuary.  As 
David's  most  formidable  foes  were  particularly  strong  in  chariots 
of  war  (2  Sam.  viii.  4.  x.  18),  so  here  God's  power  of  protection 
is  expressed  by  an  innumerable  multitude  of  chariots.     The  same 


IJ4  PSALM  LXVIII. 

mode  of  representation  occurs  in  the  history  of  Elisha,  2  Kings 
vi.  17.  Two  myriads  is  a  closer  version  than  twenty  thousand j 
because  the  Hebrew  word  is  the  dual  of  one  used  both  in  the 
vague  sense  of  a  multitude,  and  in  the  precise  sense  of  a  myriad. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  7  (6),  where  the  plural  of  the  same  word 
occurs.  The  next  phrase  strictly  means  thousands  of  repetition 
or  reduplication,  i.  e.  thousands  upon  thousands.  Compare  Dan. 
vii.  10.  There  is  no  mention  of  angels  in  the  text,  although  in- 
terpreters in  every  age  have  supposed  their  presence  to  be  neces- 
sarily iiijplied,  as  the  conductors  of  God's  chariots,  if  not  as 
the  chariots  themselves,  which  is  the  sense  put  upon  the  Hebrew 
phrase  by  both  the  English  versions  (even  thousands  of  angels.) 
There  is  also  an  obvious  allusion  to  the  giving  of  the  law  at  Sinai, 
as  described  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  2,  3,  the  presence  of  angels  at 
which  appears  to  be  assumed  in  the  New  Testament,  Gal.  iii.  19. 
Heb.  ii.  2.  It  is  not  however  the  mere  number,  even  of  these 
heavenly  hosts,  that  constitutes  the  safety  of  the  holy  place,  but 
the  personal  presence  of  the  Lord  {Adhonai)  among  them, 
which  is  therefore  asserted  in  the  next  clause.  The  last  words  of 
the  verse  are  obscure,  but  seem  most  probably  to  mean,  that 
the  same  glorious  theophany  which  once  took  place  on  Sinai 
is  now  renewed  on  Zion,  with  particular  reference  as  some 
imagine,  to  the  presence  of  the  ark  and  the  tables  of  stone 
in  the  one  case,  as  a  perpetual  memorial,  and  even  a  perpetual 
renewal,  of  the  legislation  in  the  other.  This  fine  poetical  iden- 
tification of  the  two  mountains  hallowed  by  God's  presence 
may  have  been  in  the  mind  of  the  apostle  when  he  drew 
that  sublime  contrast  or  parallel  between  them,  Heb.  xii.  18 — 24. 
Under  the  law,  Sinai  was  renewed  in  Zion.  Under  the  gospel, 
^lon  superseded  Sinai 

19  (IS.)  Thnu  hast,  gone  up  to  the  high-place;  thou  hast  cap- 
tured a  captivity ;  thou  hast  taken  gifts  among  mankind^  and 
(even  a^ioug)    rebels,  (so   as)    *o   dwell  (here),  Lord,  God !     In 


PSALM   LXVin.  115 

order  to  carry  out  his  choice  and  resolution,  as  recorded  in  v* 
17  (16)  above,  i.  e.  in  order  to  establish  Zion  as  his  earthly 
dwelling  place,  God  has  encountered  all  opposing  powers, 
vanquished  them,  and  forced  them  to  pay  tribute,  even  the 
stoutest  and  most  stubborn.  The  sign  of  the  conquest  being 
finished  is  the  conqueror's  return  to  his  throne,  whether  upon 
earth  or  in  heaven.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  8  (7),  and  compare 
Ps.  xviii.  17  (16),  xciii.  4.  cii.  20  (19.)  Cajptured  a  captivity^ 
i.  e-  taken  captive  a  multitude  of  enemies.  The  gifis  meant  are 
the  forced  gifts  of  the  conquered.  Among  men,  i.  e.  while  present 
among  them  as  their  conqueror,  and  by  implication /?-o??i  them. 
Even  rebels,  even  the  most  rebellious,  are  compelled  to  submit. 
In  other  words,  the  conquest  is  complete.  According  to  the 
military  figures  here  used,  it  would  seem  to  be  implied  that 
the  gifts  thus  extorted  by  the  conqueror  are  distributed 
among  his  followers.  To  receive  gifis  on  the  one  hand  and  he- 
stoic  gifts  on  the  other  are  correlative  ideas  and  expressions,  so 
that  Paul,  in  applying  this  description  of  a  theocratic  triumph  to 
the  conquests  of  our  Saviour,  substitutes  one  of  these  expressions 
for  the  other  (Eph.  iv.  9.)  He  also,  in  his  comment  on  the 
passage,  justly  represents  the  ascension  there  described  as  neces- 
sarily implying  a  previous  descent.  In  other  words,  victory  pre- 
supposes conflict.  The  last  clause  obviously  refers  back  to  the 
corresponding  clause  of  v.  17  (16.)  Lord  God,  literally  Jakj 
God  !   See  above,  on  v.  5  (4.) 

20  (19.)  Blessed  he  the  Lord,  day  (by)  day ;  (whoever)  lays  a 
load  upo7i  us,  the  Mighty  (God  is)  our  salvation.  Selah.  The 
second  clause,  which  is  obscure  from  brevity,  also  admits  of  this 
translation  :  (man)  may  lay  a  load  upon  us,  (but)  God  is  our 
salvation.  Lay  a  load  upon  us,  literally,  load  to  us,  or  as  to  us. 
According  to  both  these  constructions,  loading  means  oppression 
It  is  possible,  however,  to  attach  to  it  the  sense  of  benefits  or 
favours,  put  upon  it  in  the  English  versions,  but  with  a  very  dif- 


116  PSALM   LXVIIJ. 

ferent  construction  of  the  whole  clause.  Tht  Mighty  [God)  will 
heap  upon  us  our  salvation^  or,  will  load  us  luith  salvation.  The 
depth  of  feeling  and  the  strength  of  faith,  on  which  this  anticipa- 
tion rests,  are  indicated  or  betrayed  by  the  meditative  pause 
which  follows. 

21  (20.)  God  is  for  us  a  God  of  salvation y  and  to  Jehovah  the 
Lord  (belong)  issues  from  death.  A  more  exact  translation  of 
the  verse,  retaining  the  peculiar  idioms,  would  be  this  :  the  Al- 
mighty (is)  for  us  an  Almighty  for  salvation^  and  to  Jehovah  tJie 
Lord  (belong),  as  to  death,  outgoings  or  escapes.  This  is  only 
an  amplification  of  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  preceding,  God  is 
our  salvation.,  or  according  to  the  other  construction,  God  loads 
us  with  salvation. 

22  (21.)  Surely  God  will  crush  the  head  of  his  enemies.^  tht 
hairy  scalp  going  on  in  his  trespasses.  The  first  word  properly 
means  only  and  is  here  used  to  denote  that  this  and  not  the  con- 
trary is  true,  a  purpose  which  in  our  idiom  may  be  answered  by 
a  particle  of  strong  asseveration,  such  as  certainly  or  surely.  See 
above,  v.  7  (6),  and  compare  Ps.  xxxix.  12  (11).  Iviii.  12  (11.) 
Ciush  the  heady  a  strong  figure  for  violent  and  complete  destruc- 
tion. See  below,  on  v.  24  (23),  and  compare  Gen.  iii.  15.  Ps. 
ex.  6.  JNum.  xxiv.  8,  17.  The  hairy  scalps  or  crown  of  hair^  is 
merely  a  poetical  equivalent  or  parallel  to  head.  The  words  that 
follow  seem  to  be  applied  to  it  by  a  kind  of  personification. 
Compare  Prov.  xvi.  31.  But  this  figure,  if  too  bold,  may  be 
avoided  by  supplying  of  one  or  of  the  man  before  going.  This 
last  word  does  not  necessarily  mean  going  on,  but  according  to 
its  usage  elsewhere  may  be  rendered  going  about,  i.  e.  habitually 
acting,  in  a  sinful  manner.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xii  9  (S.)  xx.  7 
(G.)  xxvi.  3.  XXXV.  14.  xxxix.  7  (6.)  xliii.  2  (1.) 

23  (22.)    The  Lord  hath  said.  From  Bashan  I  will  bring  (thorn) 


PSALM    LXVIIl.  117 

hack^  I  will  bring  (them)  hack  from  the  depths  of  the  sea.  Some 
suppose  the  object  of  the  verbs  in  this  verse  to  be  Israel  or  my 
people,  as  in  Isai.  xlix.  12  (compare  Gen.  xiv.  14.)  But  as  the 
enemy  is  still  the  subject  of  the  following  verses,  it  is  better  to 
understand  the  one  before  us  as  threatening  to  bring  them  back 
for  punishment  and  destruction,  even  when  they  seemed  to  have 
withdrawn  in  triumph.  Here,  as  in  verse  15  (14),  Baskan  is 
mentioned  as  a  frontier  province  of  the  Holy  Land-  In  the  last 
clause  there  is  an  obvious  climax.  I  will  bring  them  back,  not 
from  Bashan  merely,  but,  if  need  be,  from  the  bottom  of  the 
ocean.      Compare   Ps.  cxxxix.  9,  and    especially  Am.  ix.  2,  3. 

2^  (23.)  In  order  that  thou  may  est  crush  (them) — thy  foot  m 
blood — (and)  the  tongue  of  thy  dogs  (in  blood) /;*cm  the  enemies, 
{e\eu)  from  him.  The  general  import  of  this  verse  is  clear,  but 
its  construction  doubtful  and  obscure.  The  first  verb  cannot 
mean  to  dip  or  wash  without  an  arbitrary  change  of  text  by  read- 
ing fmn  as  in  Ps.  Iviii.  11  (10.)  The  original  verb  (fn?2n)  must 
have  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  22  (21),  and  may  have  the  same 
object,  namely,  the  enemies  of  God  and  of  his  people.  The  next 
words  may  then  be  taken  as  a  parenthetical  and  qualifying  clause, 
like  sword  in  hand  and  other  such  forms  in  English.  Thy  foot 
in  blood,  i.  e.  with  thy  foot  in  their  blood,  or  so  that  thy  foot  shall 
tread  in  their  blood.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  (nu;?2)  is  by  some 
understood  as  a  noun  with  a  suffix  meaning  its  portion  i.  e.  the 
share  of  the  tongue  ;  but  for  this  there  is  no  authority  in  usage. 
Others  translate  the  phrase,  of  it,  i.  e.  of  the  blood,  and  the 
whole  clause,  the  tongue  of  thy  dogs  {shall  receive)  of  it  from  the 
enemies.  According  to  the  first  version  given  above,  the  last 
phrase  is  a  mere  specification  of  the  one  before  it ;  from  the 
enemies,  {e\ en)  from  him,  referring  to  some  real  or  ideal  repre- 
Bentative  of  the  entire  class. 

25  (24.)    They  saw  thy  goings,  oh  God,  the  goings  of  my  God, 


118  PSALM  LXVHl. 

my  king^  in  the  holy  place.  The  subject  of  tne  first  verb  may  be 
either  men  in  general,  or  the  spectators,  those  who  took  no  part 
in  the  triumphal  pageant  here  described.  Thehcly  jhce^  rot  in 
the  restricted  sense,  but  in  that  of  the  Greek  l^QOv^  meaning  the 
whole  of  the  sacred  enclosure,  as  distinguished  from  vaog^  the 
sacred  edififie.  Into  this  enclosure  the  procession  seems  to  be 
described  as  entering,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  back  the  ark. 

26  (25.)  Before  went  singe?- s,  behind  players^  in  the  midst  of 
damsels  drumming^  playing  upon  timbrels,  which  is  still  an  oriental 
custom.  Some  suppose  the  order  mentioned  in  the  first  clause 
to  denote  the  precedence  or  priority  of  vocal  above"  instrumental 
music,  as  a  rational  or  reasonable  service.  The  English  veri^ion 
of  the  last  clause,  among  (them  were)  the  damsels^  inverts  the 
true  sense  by  needlessly  supplying  two  words,  a  construction  for- 
bidden by  the  masoretic  pointing.  The  true  sense  is,  that  the 
singers  and  performers  were  themselves  surrounded  by  these 
players  upon  timbrels. 

27  (26.)  In  assemUies  bless  ye  God,  the  Lord,  from  the  foun- 
tain of  Israel.  Not  only  individually,  or  in  triumphal  marches, 
but  in  the  stated  convocations  of  the  people  at  the  sanctuary. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvi.  12,  the  only  other  place  where  the  He- 
brew word  occurs,  except  as  a  proper  name  (Num.  xxxiii.  25), 
and  where  it  evidently  has  the  same  sense.  The  only  satisfactory 
explanation  of  the  last  words, /row  the  fountain  of  Israel,  is  that 
afforded  by  supplying  ye  who  are  before  it,  and  applying  the 
whole  clause  as  a  description  of  the  chosen  people,  under  the 
figure  of  a  stream  derived  or  flowing  from  its  fountain.  Coniparo 
the  similar  ideas  and  expressions  in  Isai.  xlviii.  1.  li.  1. 

28  (27. j  There  is  llilSe  Benjamin, subduing  them ;  ths.  chiefs  of 
Judah,  stoning  them  ;  the  chiefs  of  Zebidon  ;  the  chiefs  of  N'apktali. 
These  are  named  as  representatives  of  all  the  tribes  supposed  to 


PSALM   LXVIII.  119 

be  tkert  i.  e.  in  the  triumphal  march.  They  seem  to  he  selected, 
partly  with  reference  to  their  local  habitation,  as  the  northern 
and  southern  extremities  of  Israel ;  partly  because  the  most  re- 
markable exploits,  from  the  time  of  Moses  to  the  time  of  David, 
were  performed  by  these  tribes.  See  Judg.  v.  IS.  1  Sam.  xviii. 
7.  Little  Benjamin^  so  called  in  allusion  to  Jacob's  partial 
fondness  for  his  youngest  son.  See  Gen.  xliii.  33,  and  compare 
1  Sam.  ix.  21.  Their  conqueror^  or  subduing  the?}i,  as  Saul  did 
the  surrounding  nations.  See  1  Sam.  xiv.  47,  48.  Stoning 
ihenij  literally,  their  stoning^  from  a  verb  which  invariably  means 
to  stone.  The  allusion  may  be  to  their  skill  as  slingers,  or  more 
specifically  to  the  means  by  which  David  killed  Goliath  (1  Sam. 
xvii.  49,  50.)  The  suffix  refers  to  the  enemy,  as  in  the  clause 
preceding.  Some  interpreters  have  noted,  as  an  observable 
coincidence,  that  our  Lord  and  several  of  his  apostles  were  of 
Judah,  Paul  was  of  Benjamin  ^( Phil.  iii.  5),  and  the  remaining 
apostles  of  Galilee,  in  which  lay  the  domain  of  Zebulon  and 
Naphtali  (Matt.  iv.  13.) 

29  (28.)  Thy  God  (oh  Israel)  hath  ordained  thy  strength  ;  he 
thou  strong,  oh  God,  who  hast  wrought  (it)  for  us.  Ordained, 
provided  and  secured  by  his  omnipotence.  Be  strong,  i.  e.  show 
thy  strength  by  exerting  it  in  our  behalf,  hereafter  as  thou  hast 
done  heretofore.  Wrought  for  us,  indefinitely  and  in"  genera), 
or  icrought  {it)  for  us,  i.  e.  this  deliverance  which  we  have  been 
celebrating.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  32  (31),  and  compare  Isai. 
xxvi.  12 

30  (29.)  Because  of  thy  temple  above  Jerusalem,  to  thee  shall  kingi 
Iring  tribute.  The  first  word  properly  means  from  ;  but  as  the 
local  sense  would  here  be  inadmissible,  from  may  be  understood  as 
in  the  phrase  arising  from,  ^proceeding  from,  in  which  the  idea  is 
that  of  an  effect  or  consaquence.  As  the  word  translated  temfJt 
originally  m.Q2i.xi^2L  palace^  it  is  applicable  both  to  the  Mosaic  san<3- 


120  PSALM    LXVIII 

tuary  and  to  Solomon's  temple  which  succeeded  it.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  V.  8  (7.)  xlviii.  10  (9.)  IxV  5  (4.)  Above  Jerusalem., 
both  in  a  physical  and  moral  sense,  as  Zion  and  Moriah  over- 
hung the  city,  and  as  the  presence  of  the  sanctuary  was  at 
once  its  protection  and  its  crowning  glory.  The  last  word  in 
Hebrew  occurs  only  here  and  in  passages  founded  upon  this.  See 
below,  Ps.  Ixxvi.  12  (11),  and  compare  Isai.  xviii.  7. 

31  (30.)  Rebuke  thou  the  beasts  of  thereeds^the  crowd  of  strong 
(bulls)  with  the  calves  of  the  nations.,  crouching  with  'pieces  of  silver; 
he  has  scattered  nations  (that)  in  wars  delight.  What  he  confi- 
dently anticipates  is  prayed  for  in  the  first  clause,  and  in  the  last 
described  as  already  realized,  both  common  modes  of  indirect  pre- 
diction. The  word  for  beasts  is  that  translated  ^ccA;  in  vs.  11  (10) 
above  ;  but  here  both  senses  seem  to  be  suggested,  as  they  may 
be  by  the  use  of  the  plural  in  English.  The  beast  of  the  reeds 
has  been  variously  explained  to  He  the  lion  (Jer.  xlix.  19.  1.  44. 
Zech.  xi.  3),  the  crocodile  (Ez.  xxix.  3.  xxxii.  2),  and  the  hip- 
popotamus, the  Hebrew  name  of  which  is  plural  in  its  form 
{Behemoth)  and  therefore  analogous  to  the  collective  term  here 
used.  This  animal  is  also  represented  elsewhere  as  lying  in  the 
covert  of  the  rgg<i*(Job  xl.  21.)  Either  the  crocodile  or  hippopo- 
tamus would  necessarily  suggest  the  idea  of  Egypt,  here  referred 
to  as  the  most  powerful  of  heathen  states,  and  therefore  a  fit  em- 
blem of  the  heathen  world.  The  adjective  strong  is  a  poetical 
description  of  wild  bulls,  as  in  Ps.  xxii.  13  (12.)  These  may 
represent  the  leaders  of  the  nations,  and  the  calves  their  subjects. 
The  participle  crouching  is  a  singular  in  Hebrew,  prostrating 
himself,  the  many  being  suddenly  transformed  into  an  ideal 
individual.  See  above,  on  Ps.  x.  10.  With  pieces  of  silver , 
silver  coins,  offered  as  tribute  to  their  conquerors.  See  above, 
on  V-  19  (18),  and  compare  Isai.  Ix.  9.  In  the  close  of  the 
verse  he  sees  the  warlike  enemies  of  Israel  already  scattered  by 
the  hand  of  God. 


PSALM    LXVHl.  121 

31  rSO.)  Princes  shall  come  out  of  Egypt;  Et/tiopta  shaU 
toon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God.  Egypt  is  again  named 
as  the  representative  of  the  Gentile  world,  but  in  conjunction 
with  the  neighboring  state  of  Cush  or  Ethiopia,  often  referred 
to  by  the  prophets  as  a  powerful  and  splendid  empire.  See 
Isai.  xviii.  7.  xlv.  14.  Zeph.  iii.  10.  The  word  translated _prmce5 
means  originally /a/  ones,  elsewhere  put  for  prosperous  and  potent 
men.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  30  (29.)  From  this  word  is  sup- 
posed to  be  derived  the  name  Hasmonean  which  was,  given  to  the 
Maccabees  or  Jewish  princes  in  the  interval  between  the  Old 
and  New  Testaments.  Soo7i  stretch  out  is  not  a  version  but  a 
paraphrase  of  the  original  expression,  which  means  strictly,  7)iake 
its  hands  to  run,  and  may  perhaps  denote  the  eagerness  with 
which  the  action  is  performed. 

33  (32.)  Kinfrdoms  of  the  earth,  sing  unto  God;  praise  {or 
celebrate)  the  Lord  !  Selah.  In  view  of  the  conquests  here 
foreseen,  the  whole  world  is  summoned  to  acknowledge  the  God 
of  Israel  as  the  universal  sovereign.     Compare  Rev.  xi.  15. 

34  (33.)  (Sing)  to  the  (one)  riding  in  the  heavens  of  heavens 
of  old ;  lo,  he  utters  his  voice,  a  voice  of  strength.  This  verse  is 
designed  to  magnify  the  object  of  the  praise  enjoined.  Riding, 
as  a  conqueror  in  triumph.  See  above,  on  v.  5  (4.)  The  heavens 
of  heavens  are  the  highest  heavens,  the  heaven  of  that  which  is 
heaven  to  us.  See  1  Kings  viii.  27,  and  compare  Deut.  x.  14. 
xxxiii.  26.  Of  old  does  not  qualify  ridk'ig,  as  it  may  seem  to  do 
in  English,  but  the  nouns  immediately  preceding,  the  heavens  of 
antiquity  or  ancient  heavens.  See  above  on  Ps.  Iv.  20  (19.)  In 
the  last  clause,  he  seems  to  hear  an  audible  response  from  heaven 
itself.  The  lo,  as  usual,  implies  that  something  suddenly  assails 
the  senses.  Utters  his  voice,  literally,  gives  (forth  a  sound)  with 
his  voice,  as  in  Ps.  Ixvi.  7  (6  ) 

VOL.    II.  6 


122  PSALM    LXrX. 

35  (34.)  C^vg  strength  to  God  !  Over  Israel  (is)  his  majistp\ 
and  his  strength  vu  the  clouds.  To  give^  in  such  connections,  is  of 
of  course  to  ascribe.  \  jee  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  1,  2.  The  remainder 
of  the  verse  contains  the  ground  of  this  injunction  God  is  en- 
titled to  the  praise  of  power,  because  his  greatness  is  displayed  in 
the  protection  which  he  extends  over  Israel.  As  the  sanctuary 
was  above  Jerusalem,  so  God  was  above  the  chosen  people,  their 
chief  and  their  protector.  See  above,  on  v.  30  (29.)  At  the 
same  time  his  power  is  displayed  throughout  the  universe,  espe- 
cially those  extraordinary  dispensations,  in  which  he  appears  to 
speak  from  heaven  or  the  clouds.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvi.  6  (5.) 

36  (35.)  Terrible  {art  thou)^  oh  God^  out  of  thy  holy-jplaces ; 
tJie  Mighty  (  God)  of  Israel — he  is  (a  God)  giving  strength  and 
forces  to  the  people.  Blessed  (be)  God  !  The  winding  up  is  like 
that  of  the  twenty-ninth  psalm.  Out  of  thy  sanctuaries.,  as  dis- 
played thence,  in  blessings  bestowed  upon  thy  people.  He  is  not 
only  niighty  in  himself  but  the  giver  of  might  to  others.  Com- 
pare Isai.  xl.  29,  31. 


PSALM    LXIX. 

A  SUFFERER  dcscribes  his  own  condition,  vs.  2 — 5  (1 — 4.) 
He  represents  himself  as  suffering  for  God's  sake,  vs.  6 — 13  (5 — 
12.)  He  therefore  prays  to  be  delivered,  vs.  14 — 19  (13 — IS.) 
He  again  describes  his  suff'^ring,  but  with  more  explicit  reference 
to  its  cause,  the  malice  of  his  enemies,  vs.  20 — 22  (19 — 21.)  He 
therefore  prays  that  they  may  be  destroyed,  vs.  23 — 29  (22—28.) 
He  anticipates  a  favourable  answer  to  his  prayers    and  the  hap- 


PSi\LM    LXIX.  123 

picst  effect  upon  his  brethren,  vs.  30 — 34  (29 — 33.)  Nay,  he 
expects  to  see  the  same  nifrcj  exercised  towards  the  church  or 
chosen  people,  vs   35 — 37  (34 — 36.) 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  Upon  lilies.  By  David.  The 
iilies  probably  refei-s  to  the  delightful  consolations  and  delivcraucos 
experienced  or  hoped  for.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  1.  Ix.  1.  The 
Bubject  of  the  psalm  is  an  ideal  person,  representing  the  whole 
class  of  righteous  sufferers.  The  only  individual  in  whom  the  various 
traits  meet  is  Christ.  That  he  is  not  however  the  exclusive  or 
even  the  immediate  subject,  is  clear  from  the  confession  in  v.  6  (5.) 
There  ^s  no  psalm,  except  the  twenty-second,  more  distinctly 
applied  to  him  in  the  New  Testament. 

2  (1.)  Save  me.,  oh  God.,  for  the  waters  are  come  in.,  even  to 
my  soul.,  i.  e.  so  as  to  endanger  my  life.  See  Jer.  iv.  10.  Jon.  ii. 
6.     The  figure  for  extreme  distress  is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  xl.  3  (2.) 

3  (2.)  /  hove  sunk  in  the  mire  of  the  depth  (or  deep  place) 
(wherej  there  is  no  standing;  I  have  come  into  depths  of  water., 
and  the  flood  has  overwhelmed  me.  The  image  is  that  of  one  sunk 
in  the  bottom  of  a  sea  or  river.  Mire  of  depth  is  not  merely 
deep  mire,  but  the  mire  found  in  a  deep  pla&e. 

4  (3-)  /  am.  weary  of  my  crying  ;  parched  is  my  throat ;  my 
eyes  fail.,  waiting  for  my  God.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  first 
clause  is,  lam  xoeary  in  my  crying.,  i.  e.  have  grown  weary  in  the 
act  of  calling  upon  God  for  help.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  7  (6.) 
Inarched.,  dried,  by  excessive  exertion  of  the  voice,  or  giving  the 
Hebrew  verb  the  stronger  sense  which  properly  belongs  to  it,  in- 
flamed. His  eyes  are  represented  as  exhausted,  worn  out,  by 
continued  looking  for  God.  See  below,  Ps.  cxix.  82,  and  com- 
pare Lam.  iv,  17.  The  participle  waiting  does  not  agree  with 
zyes.,  as  it  might  seem  to  do  in  English,  but  with  the   persoa  to 


124  PSALM    LXIX. 

vrhom  they  belong,  and  may  be  construed  absolutely,  I  waiting 
(mc  expectante)  J  i.  e.  while  I  wait. 

5  (4.)  More  than  the  hairs  of  my  head  ^are)  those  hating  me 
without  cause  ;  strong  are  my  destroyers^  my  false  enemies  ;  what 
I  did  not  roh^  then  must  I  restore.  With  the  first  clause  compare 
Ps.  xl.  13  (12)  ;  with  the  second,  Ps.  xxxv.  9.  xxxviii.  20  (19)  ; 
with  the  third,  Ps.  xxxv.  11.2  Sam.  xvi.  8.  False  enemies.^  liter- 
ally, enemies  of  falsehood^  which  may  either  mean  in  general  per- 
fidious, treacherous,  or  more  specifically,  using  calumny  and 
falsehood  as  a  means  for  the  attainment  of  their  wicked  ends. 
Then  or  afterwards,  in  reference  to  the  previous  innocence  which 
he  asserts.  Though  he  took  nothing  at  first,  yet  afterwards  he 
must  restore. 

6  (D.)  Oh  God.,  thou  knowest  of  (or  as  to)  my  foolishness.,  and 
my  trespasses  from  thee  have  not  been  hid.  He  does  not  deny  his 
own  demerit  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  nevertheless  prays  to  be 
delivered  from  destruction.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  2  (1.)  xxxviii. 
4—6  (3—5.)  xl.  13  (12.)  xli.  15  (14.)  As  if  he  had  said, 
*  true,  I  am  a  sinner  ;  it  is  vain  to  deny  it ;  thou  Grod,  knowest 
it ;  but  nevertheless'  &c. 

7  (6.)  Let  not  them  he  ashamed  in  me  that  wait  for  thee,  Lord., 
Jehovah.,  of  Hosts  ;  let  not  them  he  disgraced  in  me  that  seek  thee., 
God  of  Israel  !  He  prays  that  the  principle  laid  down  in  Ps.  xxv. 
3  may  not  be  falsified.  In  me.,  not  merely  hy  me  or  hecausc  of 
me,  but  ill  me,  as  the  representative  of  the  whole  class.  Ashamed^ 
disappointed  and  defeated  in  their  hopes.  Wait  for  thee,  for 
thine  appearance  and  the  fulfilment  of  thy  promises.  Seek  thee, 
i.  e.  seeK  to  know  thee  and  enjoy  thy  favour. 

8  (7.)  Because  for  thee  (ov  thy  sake)  I  have  home  reproach^ 
disgrace  hath  covered  my  face.      In  his  disgrace  all  God's  servants 


PSALM  LXIX.  125 

must  participate,  because  he  is  one  of  them  and  as  such  suffers. 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xliv.  23  (22.)  Jer.  xv.  15,  with 
the  last,  Ps.  xliv    16  (15  ) 

9  (8.)  /  avi  become  a  stranger  unto  my  brethren  and  an  alisn 
unto  the  sons  of  my  mother.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  first 
clausa  is,  I  have  been  estranged  to  (or  as  to)  my  brothers.  There 
may  be  an  allusion  to  the  envious  treatment  of  David  by  the  other 
sons  of  Jesse.  See  1  Sam.  xvii.  28.  The  loss  or  alienation  of 
the  nearest  friends  is  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  severest  trials  in 
Ps.  xxvii.  10. 

10  (9.)  For  the  zeal  of  thine  house.,  jealous  regard  for  the 
honour  of  the  sanctuary,  as  the  visible  centre  of  the  true  religion, 
has  consumed  me^  implying  an  extreme  intensity  of  feeling  ;  and 
in  consequence  of  this  zeal,  the  revUlngs  of  thy  rcvilers  have  fallen 
upon  me.  That  such  revilers  did  exist  in  David's  time,  we  learn 
from  2  Sam.  xii.  14.  The  first  clause  of  the  verse  before  us  is 
applied  to  Christ  in  John  ii.  17,  and  the  second  in  Rom.  xv.  3. 

11  (10.)  And  I  wcpi  {away)  my  soul  or  wept  myself  away, 
in  fastings  and  (even  that)  was  for  revillngs  to  vie.,  even  that 
became  a  subject  of  malignant  mockery  against  me.  That  weep- 
ing and  fasting,  as  natural  concomitants,  were  not  unknown  to 
David's  experience  in  real  life,  appears  from  2  Sam.  xii.  16,  21, 
22,  The  first  clause  likewise  admits  of  this  construction  :  -ind 
I  wept  ^  my  soul  (was)  in  fasting.,  i.  e.  fasted.  But  this  though  it 
agrees  well  with  the  Hebrew  usage  which  represents  fasting  as  a 
mortification  of  the  soul  (see  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  13),  is  neither 
BO  natural  nor  so  striking  as  the  first  construction  above  given, 
which  is  found  in  an  anonymous  translation  of  the  Psalms,  pub- 
lished by  Bagster,  London,  1830. 

■"S  (11.)  And  I  gave.,  put  on  (as)  my  clothing.,  sackcloth^  ana 


126  PSALM   LXIX. 

was  to  tJiem^  in  consequence,  for  a  comparison^  a  proverl,  b}'- 
word,  er  lecamt  a  hy-word  to  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  13 
and  xliv.  15  (14.)  Tbe  context  makes  it  probable  that  tlic 
mourning  described  in  this  and  the  preceding  verse  was  not  in 
reference  to  his  own  sufferings  merely,  but  to  the  sins  of  the 
whole  people 

13  (12.)  They  think  of  me.,  imagine  things  against  me,  thz.y 
who  sit  in  the  gate  ;  (they  imagine)  songs,  lampoons  or  satires, 
they  who  drink  strong  drink.  The  gate  meant  is  that  of  the  city, 
where  the  oriental  courts  and  mari^ets  were  held.  Hence  some 
suppose  the  sense  to  be,  that  even  in  the  place  of  serious  business, 
they  indulge  their  spiteful  mirth  at  my  expense.  But  it  seems 
more  natural  to  make  the  sitters  in  the  gate  mean  simply  those 
frequenting  public  places.  See  above  on  Ps.  Iv.  12  (11)  and 
compare  Josh.  xx.  4.  Ruth  iv.  1,2.  Lam.  v.  14. 

14  (13.)  And  J,  but  as  for  me,  in  contradistinction  from  these 
mockers,  my  -prayer  (is)  to  thee,  I  pray  to  thee  in  spite  of  their 
derision,  oh  Jehovah ;  (let  there  come  or  let  there  be)  a  time  of 
acceptance,  in  the  abundance  of  thy  mercy  ;  answer  me,  grant  my 
petition,  in  the  truth  of  thy  salvation,  or  thy  truth  of  salvation,  in 
the  exercise  of  that  fidelity  which  secures  the  salvation  of  all  who 
trust  it.      Compare  Isai.  xlix.  8.  Ixi.  2. 

15  (14.)  Deliver  me  from  the  mire  and  let  me  not  sink  ;  Id  me 
he  delivered  from  my  haters,  from  the  depths  of  water.  He  here 
returns  to  the  figures  in  v.  2  (1),  where  profound  suffering  is 
described  as  submersion  under  water  and  in  mire.  The  meaning 
of  the  figure  is  explained  in  the  last  clause  of  the  verse  before 
us  by  the  addition  of  a  literal  expression. 

16  (15.)  Let  not  the  food  overwhelm  me,  and  let  not  the  deep 
tvcallow  me,  aid  let  not  the  well  (or  pit)   shut  its  mouth  upon 


PSALM   LXIX.  127 

me.  In  the  earnestness  of  his  entreaty,  he  passes  from  the  figura 
of  a  sea  or  stream  to  that  of  a  well  or  cistern,  the  idea  common  to 
both  being  that  of  deep  water. 

17  (16.)  Ansu-er  vie^  grant  my  prayer,  Jehovah  ;  for  good  (oi 
as  we  should  say,  great)  is  thy  mercy  ;  according  to  the  mul'itudi 
of  thy  co7)ipassions^  turn  to  me^  or  towards  me,  implying  that  his 
looks  were  before  averted.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  7  (6.)  xiii. 
2(1.) 

18  (17.)  And  hide  not  thy  face  from  thy  servant^  for  (there 
is)  distress  to  me^  I  am  distressed,  make  haste,  answer  me,  i.  e. 
grant  me  what  I  ask  without  delay. 

19  (18.)  Draw  nigh  unto  my  soul,  to  me  whose  soul  or  life  is 
threatened,  ransom  it,  rescue  it  from  ruin;  because  {or for  the 
sake)  of  my  enemies,  redeem  me,  so  that  they  may  not  triumph  in 
niy  fall.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  5  (4),  and  with  the  first  clause 
compare  Ps.  xxii.  2(1.) 

20  (19  )  Thou  knoicest,  literally  hast  knoicn,  as  a  thing  of 
long  standing,  my  rejproach,  the  contempt  of  which  I  am  the  ob- 
ject, and  m,y  s/ianie  and  my  disgrace  ;  before  thee,  in  thy  sight 
and  known  to  thee,  (are)  all  my  adversaries^  persecutors  or  op- 
pressors, not  their  persons  merely,  or  their  conduct  in  general, 
but  their  treatment  of  me.  The  conviction  that  God  knows  all 
involves  a  persuasion  that  he  will  do  justice  to  both  parties.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  i.  6. 

21  (20.)  Reproach,  including  calumny  and  insult,  hath,  broken 
my  heart,  a  common  figure  for  extreme  distress,  and  I  am  sick, 
sick  at  heart  or  sick  in  spirit,  but  without  excluding  the  idea  of 
.jorporeal  suffering,  as  the  effect,  or  as  a  part,  of  his  distress  ; 
p*id  I  have  waited  fcr  pity,  literally  mourning,  i.  e.  sympathy. 


128  PSALM    LXIX. 

condolence,  on  th  3  part  of  my  criiei  enemies,  and  it  is  riot^  3r 
there  is  none,  and  for  comforters^  (those)  comforting,  and  have  not 
found  (them.)    With  the  phrase,  /  am  sick,  compare  Ps   vi.  3  (2.) 

22  (21.)  Ajid,  so  far  from  pitying  me  they  have  aggravated  my 
distress,  for  t/iey  have  given  in  my  food^  or  as  my  food^  §(^^h  ^*3^'^ 
put  for  the  extreme  of  bitterness,  and  for  my  thirsty  i.  e.  to  slake 
it,  or  at  (the  time  of)  my  thirsty  in  my  thirst,  when  I  thirst,  they 
give  me  vinegar  to  drink.  Gall  and  vinegar  are  here  put  together 
to  denote  the  most  unpalatable  forms  of  food  and  drink.  The 
passion  of  our  Lord  was  providentially  so  ordered  as  to  fur- 
nish a  remarkable  coincidence  with  this  verse.  The  Romans 
were  accustomed  to  give  sour  wine  with  an  infusion  of  myrrh  to 
convicts  on  the  cross,  for  the  purpose  of  deadening  the  pain.  This 
practice  was  adhered  to  in  our  Saviour's  case  (Mark  xv.  23.) 
Though  in  itself  not  cruel  but  the  contrary,  it  formed  part  of  the 
great  process  of  murderous  persecution.  On  the  part  of  the 
Roman  soldiery  it  may  have  been  an  act  of  kindness ;  but  consi- 
dered as  an  act  of  the  unbelieving  Jews,  it  was  giving  gall  and 
vinegar  to  one  already  overwhelmed  with  anguish.  And  so  Mat- 
thew, in  accordance  with  his  general  method,  represents  it  as 
a  verification  of  this  passage  (Matth.  xxvii.  34.)  He  does  not 
contradict  Mark's  account  before  referred  to,  but  merely  intimates, 
that  the  wine  and  myrrh  thus  oifered  were  to  be  regarded  as 
identical  with  the  gall  and  vinegar  of  this  prediction.  And  in 
order  to  prevent  the  coincidence  from  being  overlooked,  our  Lord, 
before  he  died,  complained  of  thirst  and  vinegar  was  administered. 
(Matth.  xxvii.  48.  John  xix.  28.)  The  word  translated  food  in  the 
first  clause  occurs  only  here,  and  its  verbal  root  only  in  the  his- 
tory  of  David  (2  Sam.  xii.  17.  xiii.  6,  10  ) 

23  (22.)  Let  their  table  before  them,  at  which  they  eat  and 
where  they  are  accustomed  to  enjoy  themselves,  be  for  (or  be- 
tome)  a  snare,  an  occasion  of  unexpected  danger,  and  to  thosi 


PSALM   LXIX.  129 

ucitre^  thinking  themselves  safe,  (let  it  be  for  or  become)  a  trap 
The  nrst  word  in  the  last  clause  is  the  plural  of  one  meaning 
peace^  but  seems  to  be  here  used,  as  in  Ps.  Iv.  21  (20),  for  those 
who  are  at  peace,  at  ease,  tranquil  and  secure.  Compare  1 
Thess.  V.  3.  The  ancient  versions  give  it  the  equally  appropriate 
sense  oi  for  requitals^  i.  e.  in  recompense  of  their  transgressions. 
But  although  this  sense  may  be  deduced  from  the  verbal  root 
/gVi:')  and  belongs  to  several  collateral  derivatives  (^blp^  ^.^p', 
G^lli)  it  has  no  existence  in  the  usage  of  the  one  before  us 
(D'^^pib^iT.)  The  circuitous  construction  in  the  English  version  is 
not  only  forced,  but  wholly  unnecessary.  The  imprecations  in 
thiLs  verse  and  those  following  it  are  revolting  only  when  considered 
as  the  expression  of  malignant  selfishness.  If  uttered  by  God, 
they  shock  no  reader's  sensibilities,  nor  should  they,  when  consi- 
dered as  the  language  of  an  ideal  person,  representing  the  whole 
class  of  righteous  sufferers,  and  particularly  Him,  who,  though 
he  prayed  for  his  murderers  while  dying  (Luke  xxiii.  34), had  before 
applied  the  words  of  this  very  passage  to  the  unbelieving  Jews  ( Matt, 
xxiii.  38),  as  Paul  did  afterwards  (Rom.  xi.  9,  10.)  The  general 
doctrine  of  providential  retribution,  far  from  being  confined  to  the 
Old  Testament,  is  distinctly  taught  in  many  of  our  Saviour's 
parables.     See  Matth.  xxi.  41.  xxii.  7.  xxiv.  51. 

24  (23.)  Ld  their  eyes  darken^  i.  e.  be  or  grow  dark,  from 
seeing ^  so  as  not  to  sec,  and  their  loins  do  thou  cause  to  bend,  give 
way,  or  swerve,  i.  e.  paralyse  their  strength.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixvi.  10  (9.)  The  first  clause  probably  does  not  refer  to  blind- 
ness, but  either  to  the  dimness  of  the  eyes  in  death,  or  to  darkness 
a,s  a  figure  for  calamity  in  general. 

25  (24.)  Pour  ujpon  them  thine  anger,  and  let  the  heat  of  th/y 
wrath,  thy  hot  wrath,  overtake  them,  reach  them  after  they  havo 
loDg  seemed  to  escape  it  and  expected  to  escape  it  still. 

6* 


130  PSALM   LXiX. 

26  (25.)  Let  their  home  be  desolated ;  in  their  tints  may  then 
le  710  one  dwelling ,  or  let  no  one  dwell.  The  word  translated  homt 
seems  propeily  to  mean  an  enclosure^  with  special  reference  per- 
haps to  an  encampment  or  collection  of  tents  (Gen.  xxv.  16. 
Num.  xxi.  10.)  The  translation  castle  in  the  English  version  of 
the  places  just  referred  to,  and  that  of  jpalace  in  the  margin  of 
the  one  before  us,  seem  entirely  conjectural.  The  Septuagint 
here  has  a  Greek  word  (inavlic)  meaning  a  place  to  pass  the 
night  in,  especially  for  flocks  and  herds,  and  thence  transferred  to 
farm  or  country  houses.  This  expression  is  retained  in  Acts  i.  20, 
where  the  verse  before  us  is  quoted,  in  connection  with  Ps.  cix.  8, 
and  applied  to  Judas  Iscariot,  not  as  an  individual  merely,  but  as 
a  type  and  representative  of  the  Jewish  people,  in  their  malignant 
and  perfidious  enmity  to  Christ.  This  does  not  prove  our  Lord 
to  be  the  exclusive  subject  of  the  whole  psalm,  a  conclusion  for- 
bidden by  the  confession  of  sin  in  v.  6  (5)  above  ;.  but  it  does 
show  that  He  is  not  only  one,  but  the  chief  member,  nay  the 
great  type  and  representative,  of  the  whole  class  of  innocent  suf- 
ferers at  the  hands  of  wicked  enemies.     See  also  Matt,  xxiii.  38. 

27  (26.)  For  (those)  whom  thou  hast  smitten  they  'persecute.,  have 
persecuted  heretofore  and  do  so  still ;  and  as  to  the  grief  of  thy 
wounded  they  tell  or  talk.  The  pronoun  in  the  first  clause  is  em- 
phatic, '  thou  and  not  man,  or  man  only  as  thy  blind  unconscious 
instrument.'  Compare  2  Sam.  xvi.  11,  12.  Job  xix.  21,  22.  The 
same  persons  are  described  as  thy  loounded^  the  original  expres- 
sion having  commonly  the  sense  of  mortally  wounded,  and  being 
therefore  often  rendered  slain.  See  Isai.  Ixvi.  16.  Jer.  xxv.  33. 
The  preposition  before  grief  denotes  the  theme  or  subject,  as  it 
3oes  with  the  same  verb  in  Ps.  ii.  7  To  tell  about  it  or  talk  of 
it  is  to  make  it  the  subject  of  unfeeling  or  derisive  comment.  See 
above  on  Ps.  xli.  9  (8.) 

28  (27.)    Give  {or  pla(e)  iniquity  tip  on  iniquity  ^  and  let  them 


PSALM   LXIX.  13] 

not  comz  into  thy  righteousness.  Luther  and  others  understand 
the  first  clause  as  a  prayer  that  sin  may  be  made  the  punishment 
of  sin  (Rom.  i.  28).  But  there  seems  to  be  rather  an  allusion  to 
the  double  sense  of  the  equivocal  term  ('iS'')  which  properly  de- 
notes sin  as  such  or  in  itself  considered,  but  sometimes  seems  to 
mean  sin  considered  in  its  consequences  or  effects.  Thus  un- 
derstood it  is  a  prayer  that  sin  may  be  followed  by  the  natural 
effects  of  sin.  The  righteousness  of  God  is  that  which  he  bestows 
by  the  judicial  act  of  justification,  including  pardon.  To  come 
into  it  is  to  come  into  possession  or  enjoyment  of  it,  to  become  a 
sharer  in  it. 

29  (28.)  Let  them  he  Hotted  from  the  hook  of  life  (or  of  the 
living).^  and  with  the  righteous  let  them  not  he  written^  registered, 
enrolled.  The  hook  is  not  here  a  figure  for  the  memory,  as  in 
Ps.  Ivi.  9  (8),  but  for  the  divine  decree.  The  primary  idea  is 
that  of  a  register  containing  the  names  of  these  who  are  to  live  or 
be  preserved  alive.  The  figure  is  Mosaic,  being  evidently  bor- 
rowed from  Ex  xxxii.  32.  The  translation  living^  which  is  given 
in  the  ancient  versions,  is  favoured  by  the  parallel  expression 
righteous  (inen)^  if  not  by  the  analogy  of  Ps.  xxvii.  13.  Hi.  7  (5.) 
But  the  abstract  version  life  is  equally  appropriate,  and  is  recom- 
mended by  the  use  of  the  phrase  hook  of  life  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment with  reference  to  the  future  state.  See  Phil,  iv  3.  Rev. 
XX.  15. 

30  (29.)  And  I  (am)  afflicted  and  suffering  ;  let  thy  salvation^ 
oh  God^  set  me  on  high,  beyond  the  reach  of  danger,  which  is  tan- 
tamount to  saying,  in  a  place  of  safety.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xx.  2 
(1.)  lix.  2(1.)  The  verb  might  also  be  translated  as  a  future 
proper,  expressive  of  a  confident  anticipation,  thy  salvation  will 
secure  me.  But  it  seems  more  natural  to  understand  it  as  a 
prayer  for  himself,  subjoined  to  the  foregoing  series  of  prayers  for 
the  destruction  of  his  enemies.     As  if  he  had  said,  ^  Remembe 


132  PSALM   LXIX. 

Lord  that  1  am  suflering,  and  interpose  for  my   deliverance,  as 
well  as  for  their  punishment.' 

31  (30.)  /  will  j)raiie  the  name  of  God  with  songj  or  in  a 
song,  and  will  magnify  him  with  thanksgiving.  Here,  as  in 
many  other  cases,  the  certainty  of  the  event  is  indicated  by 
an  expressed  determination  to  thank  God  for  it.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  V.  8  (7.) 

32  (31.)  And  it  shall  he  better  to  Jehovah,  this  shall  please 
him  more,  thaii  ox  (or)  bullock  horned  (and)  hoofed.  The  con- 
trast is  not  between  material  and  spiritual  offerings,  but  between 
a  legitimate  offering  of  both  kinds  and  the  mere  oblation  of  a 
beast,  as  an  opus  operatum  of  intrinsic  virtue,  or  as  if  God  could 
take  delight  in  hoofs  and  horns,  which  are  therefore  contemp- 
tuously specified.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  7  (6.)  1.  8.  li.  18  (16.) 
The  last  words  are  highly  idiomatic,  and  scarcely  susceptible 
of  close  translation,  the  original  forms  being  those  of  active 
participles,  horning,  hoofing,  i.  e.  having  or  producing  horns  and 
hoofs. 

33  (32.)  The  /nimble  see  and  rejoice,  MterRl] j,  have  seen  and  will 
rejoice,  in  my  deliverance,  (even  ye)  that  seek  God,  seekers  of  God, 
and  7)iay  your  heart  live  !  May  you  be  revived  and  cheered  by 
witnessing  this  exhibition  of  God's  power  and  goodness  !  The 
wish  that  it  may  be  so  includes  a  promise  that  it  shall  be,  as  in 

.  Ps.  xxii.  27  (26),  where  the  form  of  expression  is  the  same. 

34  (33.)  For  hearkening,  habitually  listening,  {is)  Jehovah  ic 
the  poor,  i.  e.  the  poor  among  his  people,  the  righteous,  pious,  or 
believing  poor  ;  aiul  his  prisoners,  those  imprisoned  in  affliction 
by  himself,  or  by  human  oppressors  for  his  sake,  he  hath  not 
despised,  and  therefore  never  will.     The  general  inference  here 


PSALM     LXIX.  133 

drawn  from  the  speaker's  own  experience  is  the  same  as  in  Ps. 
xxii.  25  (24)  above. 

35  (34.)  Let  heaven  and  earth  praise  him^  seas  atid  every  thing 
creeping  in  fhem^  i.  e.  moving  with  an  animal  or  vital  motion.  In 
the  particular  mercy  experienced  by  himself  he  sees  a  pledge  of 
gifts  deserving  and  demanding  universal  praise. 

36  (35.)  For  God  will  save  Zion^  and  will  huild  the  cities 
of  Judah^  and  they  shall  dwell  in  them  and  possess  them.  He 
who  is  thus  faithful  to  the  individual  believer  must  be  faithful  lo 
the  whole  church.  It  is  characteristic  of  the  ancient  saints  to  re- 
gard every  personal  mercy  as  a  pledge  of  greater  favours  to 
the  body  of  God's  people.  This  is  peculiarly  appropriate  in  such 
a  case  as  this,  where  the  words  are  those  of  an  ideal  person  re- 
presenting a  whole  class,  and  that  a  class  including,  as  its  most 
conspicuous  member,  the  Messiah  himself.  There  is  no  need  of 
supposing  an  allu.sion,  either  prophetical  or  historical,  to  the 
restoration  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon,  the  rather  as  the  temple  is 
referred  to  in  v.  10  (9)  as  still  standing.  They  in  the  last  clause 
are  the  poor  of  v.  34  (33),  i.  e.  the  righteous  or  God's  people. 

37  (36.)  And  the  seed  of  his  servants  shall  inherit  it,  i.  e. 
Judah  or  the  land  of"  promise,  and  the  lovers  of  his  name,  of  his 
revealed  perfections,  shall  dwell  (quietly  and  safely)  in  it.  The 
foregoing  promises  are  not  restricted  to  a  siii-Ic;  generation,  but 
extend  to  the  remotest  posterity.  Inherit  it,  possess  it  by  heredi- 
tary right  from  generation  to  generation.  As  temporal  and 
spiritual  blessings  were  inseparably  blended  in  the  old  dispensa- 
tion, the  promise  of  perpetual  possession  and  abode  in  Palestine 
is  merely  the  costume  in  which  that  of  everlasting  favour  t :  thu 
church  is  clothed  in  the  Old  Testament. 


134  PSALM    LXX 


PSALM     LXX. 

The  Fortieth  Psalm,  asvwe  have  seen  (vol.  1.  p.  333),  consists 
of  a  thanksgiving  for  deliverances  experienced  already,  vs.  2 — 14 
(1 — 13),  and  of  a  prayer  for  fresh  occasion  of  thanksgiving,  vs. 
15 — 18  (14 — ^^17.)  The  latter  portion  is  here  repeated  by  itself, 
as  a  kind  of  appendix  to  the  Sixty-ninth  and  preface  to  the 
Seventy-first,  with  both  which  it  has  several  points  of  contact  and 
resemblance.  The  mutual  relation  of  the  two  editions  is  the 
same  as  that  between  the  Fourteenth  and  the  Fifty-third.  The 
supposition  of  an  erroneous  copy  or  an  accidental  repetition  is 
forbidden  by  the  fact  that  both  are  left  on  record,  and  by  the 
appearance  of  an  uniform  design  in  the  variations.  In  this  case, 
as  in  that  of  the  Fifty-third  Psalm,  no  comments  will  be  made 
upon  those  expressions  which  are  common  to  both  forms  and 
have  therefore  been  explained  already. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  By  David.  To  remind.,  i.  e.  to 
remind  God  of  the  Psalmist's  necessities.  The  same  inscription 
is  prefixed  to  Ps.  xxxviii.  The  phrase  hy  David  represents  bim 
as  the  author,  not  of  the  Fortieth  Psalm  merely,  but  of  this 
abridgment.     See  above,  on  Ps.  liii.  1,  and  compare  vol  1.  p.  153. 

2  (1.)  Oh  God  to  deliver  we,  ohLo^d  to  help  me  ^hasten  !  The 
first  word  of  Ps.  xl.  14  (13),  he  pleased,  is  here  omitted,  for  the 
purpose,  as  some   suppose,  of  making  the  commencement  moro 


PSALM   LXX.  •  igr, 

abrupt,  and  thereby  marking  the  whole  composition  as  a  fragment 
Another  variation,  which  interpreters  have  laboured  to  account 
for  as  significant,  is  the  substitution  of  Elohim  in  the  first  clause 
for  Jehovah^  the  only  Divine  name  which  appears  in  the  fortieth 
psalm  at  all.  It  is  quite  as  probable,  to  say  the  least,  that  the 
names  were  interchanged  as  Go^^and  Lord  are  often  by  ourselves, 
vrithout  special  reason  or  design. 

3  (2.)  Ashamed  and  confounded  shall  he  {those)  seeking  my  soul ; 
turned  hack  and  disgraced  shall  he  {those)  desiring  (or  delighting 
in)  my  hurt.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  15  (14.)  The  only  varia- 
tion consists  in  the  omission  of  the  words  together  and  to  destroy 
iij  in  accordance  with  the  obvious  design  of  condensation  and 
abridgement. 

4  (3.)  They  shall  turn  hack  on  account  of  their  shame^  i.  e. 
retreat  from  their  assault  on  me  confounded  and  ashamed — those 
sayings  Aha,  aha!  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  16  (15.)  For  the 
strong  expression,  they  shall  he  desolate^  we  have  a  milder  one 
borrowed  from  Ps.  vi.  11  (10.)  The  only  other  variation  con- 
isists  in  the  omission  of  the  unimportant  phrase  to  me. 

5  (4.)  They  shall  rejoice  and  he  glad  in  thee — all  (those) 
seeking  thee ;  and  they  shall  say  always.,  great  he  Jehovah — ■ 
(those)  loving  thy  salvation.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  17  (16.) 
The  only  variation  here  is  the  insertion  of  the  copulative  arid  at 
the  beo'innins:  of  the  second  clau.se. 

6  (5.)  And  I  am  afflicted  and  poor — oh  God.^  hasten  unto 
mt  !  My  help  and  my  deliverer  (art)  thou — oh  Jehovah.,  linger 
not^  do  not  delay  !  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  18  (17.)  In.stead  of 
God^  the  parallel  passage  has  Jehovah^  and  instead  of  Jehovah^  iu 
the  second  clause,  my  God.  Another  variation  is  that  the  signi- 
eant  expression,  he  ivill  think  of  me  {or  for  me),  is  exchanged  foi 


I5<6  PSALM   LXXI 

the  petitioa  hasten  to  me^  thus  bringing  back   the  prayer  to  the 
point  from  which  it  started 


PSALM     LXXI. 

A  SUFFERER  froHi  the  spite  of  wicked  enemies  prays  for  deliver- 
ance, vs.  1 — 3.  He  acknowledo;es  God's  goodness  to  him  in 
early  life,  vs.  4 — 8,  and  prays  that  it  may  be  continued  in  old 
age,  vs.  9 — 13.  He  confidently  anticipates  an  answer  to  his 
prayers,  vs.  14 — 21,  and  promises  a  suitable  return  of  praise, 
vs.  22—24. 

The  psalm  bears  a  strong  resemblance  to  the  others  in  which 
the  sufferings  of  the  righteous  are  the  great  theme,  such  as  the 
twenty-second,  thirty-fifth,  thirty-eighth,  and  fortieth,  a  poitiou 
of  which  last  seems  to  have  been  prefixed  to  it,  as  a  kind  of  text 
or  theme,  or  for  the  purpose  of  connecting  it  with  the  whole  class 
of  compositions  just  referred  to.  This  explains  the  absence  cf 
a  title  or  inscription  in  the  psalm  before  us,  as  in  the  case  ^f  the 
second,  tenth,  forty-third,  and  others. 

1.  In  thee,^  oh  Jehovah^  have,  I  trusted^  tiken  refuge;  let  me 
not  he  shamed^  disappointed  and  confounded,  to  eteinity^  forever. 

'This  verse  and  the  next  two  are  borrowed,  with  slight  variations, 
from  the  beginning  of  Ps.  xxxi. 

2.  In  thy  riglteousness  thou  wilt  deliver  me  and  cause  me  to 
escape  ;  inclimi  to  me  thine  ear  and  save  me.  See  above,  on  Ps  xxxi 
2,  3  (1,2),  where  the  imperative  form  of  the  preceding  clause  is 


PSALM     LXXI.  137 

still  retained,  instead  of  being  changed,  as  here,  into  the  future 
The  verb  deliver  me  there  occurs  in  what  is  here  the  second  clause  ; 
and  the  qualifying  term,  haste  or  quickly^  is  omitted  in  the  case 
before  us.  The  division  of  the  sentences  is  also  different,  so  that 
the  verses  do  not  exactly  correspond. 

3.  Be  thoii  to  me  for  a  rock  of  hahitation^  a  rock  where  I  may 
safely  dwell  and  make  my  home,  (whither  I  may  be  able)  to  comt 
always^  i.  e.  whenever  it  is  necessary ;  thou  hast  commanded  to 
save  me^  my  deliverance  is  decreed  already  ;  for  ny  rock^  my 
hiding  place,  and  my  fortress  art  thou.  The  imagos  presented 
and  the  terms  used  are  similar  to  those  in  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  Com- 
manded to  save  me  :  see  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  5  (4.)  Ixviii.  29  (28.) 
The  imitation  of  Ps.  xxx.  here  insensibly  merges  into  a  new  and 
independent  composition. 

4.  My  God^  free  me,  cause  me  to  escape,  f-om  the  hand  of  the 
wicked,  from  the  palm,  a  poetical  equivalent  to  hand,  of  the  per- 
verse and  corrupt  doer.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  occurs  only 
here,  but  from  its  form  appears  to  be  the  participle  of  a  verb  that 
means  to  be  (or  become)  sour,  to  ferment,  to  putrefy.  The 
infinitive  of  the  same  verb  is  applied  to  moral  evil  in  Isai. 
i.  17. 

5.  For  thou  (art)  my  hope,  oh  Lord,  Jehovah,  my  confidence, 
the  object  of  my  trust,  from  my  youth.  Compare  the  combina- 
tion Lord  Jehovah  with  those  in  Ps.  Ixviii.  21  (20.J  Ixix.  7  (6J, 
and  the  phrase  my  confidence  with  Ps.  xl.  5  (4.) 

6.  Upon  thee  Ileaned,  or  by  thee  was  held  up,  sustained, yVoOT 
the  worah  ;  from  the  bowels  of  my  mother,  a  synonymous  expres- 
sion, thou  {art)  my  bringing  out,  the  one  that  brought  me  out,  a 
different  expression  of  the  same  idea  as  in  Ps.  xxii.  11  (lO.'^ 
The  meaning  of  the  verb  here  used,  both  in  its  transitive  and  in 


13S  PSALM  LXXl. 

transitive  forms,  may  be  gathered  from  Ps.  xc.  10.  Num.  xi.  31. 
In  thee  is  my  praise  always  ;  it  originates,  revolves,  and  ends  in 
thee.     Compare  the  analogous  expression  in  Ps.  xxii.  26  (25.) 

7.  As  a  prodigy^  or  wonder,  an  object  of  contemptuous  astoii- 
ishment,  was  /,  or  have  /  been  to  many,  on  account  of  my  extra' 
ordinary  sufferings  ;  but  thou  art  my  refuge  of  strength,  my  strong 
refuge,  at  once  my  protector  and  my  hiding  place.  With  the 
first  clause  compare  Deut.  xxviii.  46.  Isai.  lii.  14.  1  Cor.  iv.  9. 

8.  Filled  shall  my  mouth  be  (with)  thy  praise,  and  all  the  day 
(with)  thy  beauty,  or  glory,  as  the  subject  of  that  praise.  The 
sight  of  thine  excellency  now  excites,  and  will  excite  forever,  m}' 
admiration  and  my  praise. 

9.  Cast  me  not  off,  at  the  time  of  old  age  ;  as  m.y  strength  fails, 
literally,  according  to  the  failure  of  my  strength,  leave  me  not,  dc 
not  thou  abandon  or  forsake  me.  He  here  prays  that  the  grace 
which  he  experienced  in  youth,  and  which  he  has  already  ac- 
knowledged in  the  foregoing  context,  may  be  continued  and  ex- 
tended to  his  old  age.     Compare  Isai.  xlvi.  3,  4. 

10.  For  my  enemies  have  said  (so)  to  me,  i.  e.  have  told  me  that 
God  would  forsake  or  had  forsaken  me,  and  as  a  proof  that  they 
believe  it,  the  watchers  of  my  soul,  those  who  watch  and  lie  in  wait 
for  its  destruction,  have  consulted  together,  i.  e.  against  me,  which 
they  would  not  have  done  if  they  had  really  believed  me  to  be  under 
the  Divine  protection.  Instead  of  to  me  in  the  first  clause,  we 
may  read  of  (i.  e.  concerning)  me,  without  any  violation  of  usage 
or  material  change  of  meaning.     See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.) 

11.  Saying,  God  hath  forsaken  him,  pursue  and  seize  him,  for 
there  is  no  deliverer,  literally,  none  delivering.  This  verse  is  an 
(unpiification  of  the  phrase  they  say  {so)  in  the  verse  preceding 


PSALM    LXXl.  139 

It  gives  the  very  words  in  which  they  say  so.  With  the  first 
clause  compare  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.)  xli.  6  (5),  and  the  words  of  Ahihto- 
phel-  in  2  Sam.  xvii.  1,  2,  to  which  there  may  be  a  direct  allusion, 
as  an  actual  instance  of  the  thing  ideally  described  in  David's 
own  experience.  '  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  vii.  3  (2.) 

12.  Oh  God^  he  not  far  from  me;  oh  my  God^  to  (or  for)  my 
help  hasten.  Compare  the  similar  expressions  of  Ps.  xxii.  20  (19.) 
XXXV.  22.  xxxviii.  22,  23,  (21,  22.)  xl.  14  (13.)  Ixx.  2  (1.)  The 
stronger  expression  my  God,  in  the  second  clause,  urges  his 
covenant  relation  to  God,  as  a  reason  for  expecting  to  be  heard. 

13.  They  shall  be  shamed,  they  shall  cease  (or  be  consumed) — ■ 
the  adversaries  of  my  soul ;  they  shall  put  on  (or  be  clothed  with) 
reproach  and  disgrace — the  seekers  of  my  hurt.  The  verbs  may 
also  be  translated  as  optatives,  let  them  be  shamed^  etc.  But  this 
is  really  included  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  future.  Compare 
the  parallel  passages,  Ps.  xxxv.  4,  26.  xl.  15  (14.)  Ixx.  3  (2.) 

14.  And  I  will  ahvays  hope,  and  add  to  (literally  a^c?  upon,  ac- 
cumulate, increase)  all  thy  praise.  To  all  thy  praise  which  J 
have  uttered  hitherto,  I  will  continue  still  to  add. 

15.  My  mouth  shall  recount  thy  righteousness,  all  the  day  (long) 
thy  salvation,  for  I  knoio  not  numbers  (to  express  them),  I  can- 
not number  them,  they  are  innumerable.  The  righteousness  or 
rectitude  of  God,  including  his  veracity  or  faithfulness,  is  here 
referred  to  as  the  cause  of  his  salvation,  the  salvation  of  which 
he  is  the  source  and  author. 

16.  /  ivill  come  loith  the  mighty  deeds  of  the  Lord  Jehovah  ;  1 
will  mention  (or  commemorate)  thy  righteousness.^  thine  only.  The 
first  phrase  may  also  be  translated,  /  nmll  enter  into  the  mighty 
deeds,  etc.  as  we  speak  of  entering  into  the  parfcicula-rs  of  a  sub 


140  PSALM  LXXl 

the  particulars  of  a  subject.  But  this  ii  rather  an  English  than 
a  Hebrew  idiom.  The  common  version,  I  will  go  in  the  strength 
of  the  Lord  God^  is  at  variance  with  the  usage  both  of  the  verb 
and  noun,  as  the  former  does  not  mean  to  go  absolutely,  but 
either  to  enter  or  to  come  to  a  particular  place,  expressed  or  un- 
derstood. The  ellipsis  here  may  be  oupplied  from  Ps.  v.  8  (7) 
and  Ixvi.  13,  in  both  which  places  the  same  verb  denotes 
the  act  of  coming  to  God's  house  for  the  purpose  of  solemn  praise, 
and  in  the  second  passage  cited  is  followed  by  the  same  prepo- 
sition, I  will  come  into  thy  house  with  burnt -offerings,  i.  e.  I  will 
bring  them  thither.  This  sense  agrees  well  with  the  vow  to  praise 
God  in  the  two  preceding  verses,  and  with  the  promise  of  com- 
memoration in  the  other  clause  of  this  verse.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
XX.  8  (7.)  It  also  enables  us  to  give  the  noun  (-I'll":!)  its  usual 
sense  of  God's  exploits  or  mighty  deeds.  See  below,  Ps.  cvi.  2, 
and  compare  Dcut.  iii.  24.  Thine  only^  not  my  own  or  that  of 
any  creature.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  4,  7  (3,  6.) 

17  Oh  God,  thou  hast  taught  me  (to  praise  thee)  from  my 
youth ^  by  thy  providential  dealings  with  me,  i.  e.  given  me  occa- 
sion to  celebrate  thy  praise,  and  until  now  I  icill  declare,  i.  e.  I 
am  still  declaring,  still  have  reason  to  declare,  thy  wondrous 
works.     See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  2  (1.)  xxvi.  7.  xl.  6  (5.) 

18.  And  also  (or  even)  unto  old-age  and  hoary -hairs,  oh  God, 
forsake  me  not,  till  I  declare  thine  arm,  i.  e.  the  exertion  of  thy 
-power,  to  the  (next)  generation,  (and)  to  every  one  that  is  to  covie 
thy  power.  The  last  clause  determines  the  sense  of  the  indefinite 
expression,  a  generation.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  31  (30.)  With 
the  phrase  thy  arm,  compare  Ps.  xliv.  4  (3.) 

19.  And  thy  righteousness,  oh  God,  (reaches)  even  to  the  height 
{ov  high  place) ,  i.  e.  heaven,  Uhou)  who  hast  done  great  things, 
oh  God,  who  is  like  thee  ?     With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps- 


PSALM    LXXI.  141 

XXX vi.  6  ^5.)  Ivii.  11  (10)  ;  with  the  last,  Ex.  xv.  11.  Dent,  iii, 
24.  2  Sam.  vii.  22. 

20.  (Thou)  ulio  hast  showed  us,  made  us  sec,  i.  e.  caused  us  to 
experience,  distresses  many  and  severe  (or  many  distresses  and  evils) 
wilt  return  (and)  make  us  live,  revive  or  (piicken  us,  and  from 
the  depths  of  the  earth  wilt  return  (and)  bring  us  up,  make  or 
cause  us  to  ascend.  The  sudden  change  from  the  singular  to  the 
plural  form,  in  reference  to  the  same  subject,  led  the  authors  of 
the  masoretic  punctuation  to  restore  the  singular  in  this  verse 
also  ;  but  the  reading  in  the  text  is  no  doubt  the  original  and  true 
one.  As  the  word  translated  depths  is  elsewhere  invariably  ap- 
plied to  water,  some  suppose  an  allusion  to  the  deluge,  as  in  Ps. 
xxix.  10.  xxxii.  6.  xxxvi.  7  (6.)  Compare  Isai.  viii.  7,  8.  The 
verb  return,  twice  used  here,  may,  agreeably  to  Hebrew  usage, 

nerely  qualify  the  verbs  to  which  it  is  prefixed,  thou  wilt  quichen 
us  again,  thou  wilt  bring  us  again.  But  the  similar  expression 
in  the  next  verse  makes  it  probable,  that  the  verb  was  meant  to 
have  an  independent  meaning,  and  to  point  out  the  dependence  of 
the  quickening  and  the  restoration  here  expected  on  Jehovah's 
return  to  his  forsaken  people.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7. 

21.  Thou  wilt  increase  my  greatness,  and  wilt  turn  (and)  com^ 
fort  me.  As  the  word  translated  greatness  is  elsewhere  applied 
to  the  great  things  done  by  God  for  the  protection  and  deliver- 
ance of  his  people  (Ps.  cxlv.  3.  2  Sam  vii.  23),  my  greatness  may 
have  here  the  objective  sense  of  great  things  done  to  or  for  me. 
See  above,  on  v.  19,  and  compare  Ps.  xl.  6  (5.) 

22.  Also  I  will  thank  thee  with  a  harp-instrument,  i.  e.  with  a 
harp  or  lyre  as  the  instrument  of  praise,  (for)  thy  truth,  or  as  to 
thy  truth,  veracity  and  faithfulness  ;  /  will  play  to  thee,  make 
music  to  thee,  praise  or  celebrate  thee,  toith  a  lyre,  [thou)  Jlolif 
[One)  of  Israel,  i.  e.  his  peculiar  God,  possessed  of  all   {[Wwy? 


142  PSALM    LXXI. 

perfections.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  4  (3.)  From  this  place 
the  title  has  been  borrowed  by  the  prophets,  and  by  none  so  fre- 
quently as  by  Isaiah. 

23.  My  lips  shall  sing  when  I  play  to  thte,  and  my  soul  which 
ihffU  hast  redeemed.  The  first  clause,  as  ab^ve  translated,  seems 
to  promise  the  combination  of  vocal  and  instrumental  praise. 
But  as  the  first  verb  usually  means  to  shout  or  sing  for  joy,  and 
sometimes  simply  to  rejoice,  and  the  second  commonly  conveys 
the  idea  not  of  music  merely  but  of  praise,  the  clause  may  be 
explained,  my  lips  shall  rejoice,  for  I  will  sing  to  thee  (or  praise 
thee),  and  my  soul  fshall  also  rejoice. J  With  the  last  clause 
compare  Ps.  xxxiv.  23  (22.) 

24.  Also  my  tongue  all  the  day  shall  muse  of  thy  righteousness, 
hccause  they  are  ashamed,  they  blush — the  seekers  ofm-y  hurt.  The 
verb  in  the  first  clause  means  to  think  aloud,  to  talk  to  one's 
self,  and  therefore  suggests  the  idea  both  of  thought  and  sound. 
It  is  here  applied  to  the  tongue,  as  the  instrument  by  which  one's 
thoughts  are  thus  expressed,  not  to  others  but  himself.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  i.  2.  ii.  1.  xxxv.  28.  xxxvii.  30.  xxxviii.  13  (12.) 
Ixiii.  7  (6),  and  below,  on  Ps.  xc.  9.  The  position  of  the  subject 
at  the  end  of  the  last  clause  is  emphatic,  as  in  v.  13  above.  The 
pretciite  form  of  the  verbs  represents  the  effect  as  one  alreaiy 
past,  though  really  still  future. 


PSALM    LXXII  I4J 


PSALM    LXXII. 

A  GLOWING  description  of  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  as  righfc 
tons,  vs.  1 — 7,  universal,  vs.  8 — 11,  beneficent,  vs.  12 — 14,  per* 
petual,  vs.  15 — 17,  to  which  are  added   a   doxology,  vs.  18,  19.. 
and  a  postscript,  v.  20. 

1.  By  Solomon.  Oh  God^  thy  judgments  to  the  I'ing  give,  and 
thy  righteousness  to  the  king'^s  son.  The  form  of  expression  in  the 
first  clause  or  title  is  precisely  the  same  as  in  the  phrase  so  often 
rendered,  hy  David.  That  it  designates  the  author,  may  be 
argued,  not  only  from  this  usage,  but  from  the  fact,  that  the 
imagery  of  the  psalm  is  as  evidently  borrowed  from  the  peaceful 
and  brilliant  reign  of  Solomon,  as  that  of  the  second  from  tho 
martial  and  triumphant  reign  of  David.  The  prayer  in  this 
verse  is  virtually  a  prediction,  as  the  psalmist  only  asks  what  he 
knows  that  God  will  give.  The  judicial  power,  under  the  the- 
ocracy, was  exercised  in  God's  name  and  by  his  representatives. 
See  Deut.  i.  17.  Ex.  xxi.  6.  xxii.  7,  8.  Prov.  vili.  15.  2  Chr. 
xix.  6.  The  Messiah  was  therefore  expected  to  exhibit  this  pe- 
culiar character  in  its  perfection.  See  Isai.  xi.  2,  3.  By  thf. 
Hng  and  the  king'^s  son  we  are  not  to  understand  the  descendants 
and  successors  of  David  indefinitely,  but  the  last  and  greatest  ot 
them  in  particular. 

2.  He  shall  judge  thy  jpeople  with  righteousness ^  and  thy  ajfflicled 


144 


PSALM    LXXIl. 


{oTies)  with  judgment.  This  is  stated  as  the  necessary  eonse- 
quence  of  the  granting  of  the  prayer  in  the  preceding  verse 
*  Give  him  thy  righteousness,  and  then  he  shall  judge,  etc 
There  is  no  need  therefore  of  putting  an  optative  sense  upon  the 
future,  ^  let  him  judge,  etc.,'  especially  as  it  would  then  be  neces- 
sary to  extend  the  same  construction  to  the  verses  following,  and 
80  lonn-  a  series  of  optative  expressions  is  without  example. 

3.  {Then)  shnll  the  mountains  bear  peace  for  the  people^  and  the 
hllh,  by  righteousness.  The  effect  of  the  divine  gift  asked  at  the 
bcgiuuing  of  the  psalm  is  still  described  in  this  verse,  under  the 
figure  of  a  general  growth  or  harvest  of  peace,  to  spring  up  in  \b.Q 
whuie  land.  JBear,  in  the  sense  of  bringing  forth,  producing. 
31ountains  and  hills  are  mentioned  as  the  salient  points  or  pro- 
minent features  of  the  country.  This  was  the  more  natural  as 
the  hills  of  Palestine  were  carefully  tilled  in  ancient  times,  as 
appears  from  the  terraces  still  visible.  See  above,  Ps.  Ixv.  13 
(i2),  and  below,  Ps.  cxlvii.  8,  and  compare  Deut.  xxxiii.  15 
J-'eace,  as  opposed  to  war  and  its  accompanying  evils.  This  is  often 
mentioned  as  a  characteristic  trait  of  the  Messiah's  reign.  See 
Isai.  ii.  4.  ix.  6,  7(5,  6.)  xi.  9.  Ixv.  25.  Mic.  iv.  3.  Zech.  ix.  10. 
It  was  typified  by  the  peaceful  reign  of  Solomon  (1  Kings  v.  4), 
whose  very  name  suggests  it.  The  hills,  i.  e.  the  hills  shall  bear 
peace  or  produce  it.  The  words  by  righteousness  belong  to  both 
clauses  and  denote  that  the  peace  here  promised  was  to  be  the 
fruit  of  righteous  government. 

4.  He  shall  judge  the  abided  of  the  people;  he  shall  save  (or 
brill g  salvation)  to  the  sons  of  the  needy.,  and  shall  crush  (or  break 
in  pieces)  the  oppressor.  To  judge  them  is  to  do  them  justice,  to 
redress  their  wrongs  and  vindicate  their  rights.  The  afflicted  of 
the  people.,  those  who  suffer  among  the  chosen  people.  The  need.y 
or  the  poor  man  is  an  ideal  person,  representing  the  whole  class, 
whose  individual  members  are  described  as  his  sons  or  children 


PSALM    LXXII.  145 

b.  They  shall  fear  thee  vnth  the  sun,  and  before  the  moon,  gene- 
ration of  generations.  The  first  verb  may  be  construed  with  th6 
wns  of  the  needy ^  or  taken  indefinitely,  men  shall  fear  thee,  which 
IS  nearly  equivalent  to  saying,  thou  shall  he  feared.  The  verb 
itself  denotes  religious  reverence  or  awe,  and  is  here  put  for  wor- 
ship. The  object  of  address,  here  and  throughout  the  psalm,  is 
God,  whose  worship  is  described  as  one  fruit  of  the  righteous  reign 
predicted.  With  the  sun,  as  long  as  they  have  the  sun  with  them, 
i  e.  possess  or  enjoy  him.  Before  the  moon,  in  her  presence,  as 
long  as  she  continues  to  be  visible,  or  to  afibrd  them  light.  This  is 
one  of  the  scriptural  expressions  for  perpetual  duration,  an 
idea  which  is  also  expressed  by  the  idiomatic  phrase,  generation 
of  generations,  i.  e.  through  all  generations,  or  from  one  genera- 
tion to  another. 

6.  lie  shall  come  doicn  like  rain  upon  mown  (grass) ,  liki  showers^ 
the  watering  of  the  earth  (or  land.)  This  beautiful  comparison 
suggests  the  idea  of  a  gentle  yet  refreshing  and  fertilizing  influence, 
to  be  exerted  by  the  king,  whose  reign  is  here  foretold.  The 
word  translated  showers,  by  its  etymological  affinities,  suggests  the 
idea  of  abundance  or  copiousness.  The  noun  which  follov/s  occurs 
only  here,  but  may  be  traced  to  verbal  roots  which  mean  to  drop 
or  to  flow. 

7.  In  his  days  shall  the  righteous  sprout,  spring  up,  or  shoot 
forth,  and  abundance  of  peace,  till  the  failure  (or  cessation)  of  the 
moon.  The  idea  is  the  same  as  in  vs.  3,  5,  with  a  slight  change 
in  the  form  of  the  expression.  By  a  lively  figure,  the  righteous 
man  is  substituted  for  righteousness  in  the  abstract,  as  the  fruit 
of  the  earth  and  the  productive  cause  of  peace.  The  idea  of 
perpetuity  is  again  conveyed  by  repeating  one  of  the  comparisons 
in  V.  5. 

8    And  he  shall  rule  from  sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  to  thfi 
voTi.  n  T 


146  PSALxM   LXXII. 

tnds  of  the  ea.'h.  There  is  here  an  obvious  allusion  to  the  limits 
of  the  land  of  proii^lse,  as  defined  in  Ex.  xxiii.  31  ;  but  that  these 
are  not  directly  intenced  in  the  case  before  us,  is  clear  from  the 
mention  of  foreign  kings  and  nations  in  the  following  verses.  The 
meaning  rather  is,  that  as  the  realm  of  the  theocratic  kings  was 
bounded  by  the  Mediterranean  and  the  Euphrates,  that  of  the 
Messiah,  whom  they  represented,  should  extend  from  sea  to  sea, 
i.  e.  from  any  sea  to  any  other,  even  the  most  distant,  or  from 
any  sea  around  to  the  same  point  again,  and  from  the  river 
(Euphrates),  or  from  any  other  river,  as  a  terminus  a  quo^  to  the 
•?nds  of  the  earth.  In  3ther  words,  it  should  be  universal.  The 
same  mode  of  describing  the  extent  of  Christ's  dominion  is  adopted 
by  the  prophets.  See  Zech.  ix.  10,  and  compare  Am.  viii.  12. 
Mic.  vii.  12. 

9.  Before  him  shall  crouch  ivild  (men J  and  his  enemies  the  dust 
shall  lick.  The  first  noun  denotes  dwellers  in  the  wilderness,  and 
is  applied  both  to  brutes  (Jsai.  xiii.  21.  xxxiv.  14.  Jer.  1.  39j 
and  men  (Ps.  Ixxiv.  14.)  The  common  version  of  the  first  verb 
[hoic)  is  too  weak  in  itself  and  in  comparison  with  the  parallel 
expression,  lick  the  dusty  implying  the  most  unconditional  and 
abject  submission. 

10.  The  kings  of  Tarshish  and  the  Islands  an  oblation  shall 
send  back  ;  the  kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  a  reioard  shall  bring 
near.  The  last  noun  in  the  first  clause,  and  the  verb"  in  the 
second,  are  technical  terms  of  the  Mosaic  law,  the  first  denoting 
specially  a  vegetable  offering,  and  the  other  the  solemn  act  of 
presentation  in  God's  presence.  The  use  of  these  expressions 
implies  that  what  is  here  described  is  not  the  mere  payment  of 
tribute  or  the  presentation  of  friendly  gifts,  but  a  religious  offer- 
ing. It  is  also  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  verb  in  the  first 
clause,  and  the  last  noun  in  the  second,  both  suggest  the  idea,  not 
of   a  simple   gift,   but  of  a  recompence  or   requital,  perhaps  in 


PSALM   LXXll.  14'7 

allusion  to  the  benefits  which  Christ  was  to  bestow  upon  the 
nations,  and  of  which  these  gifts  would  be  a  thankful  acknow- 
ledgment. The  verb  return^  however,  is  used  elsewhere  to  denote 
the  sin^ple  act  of  paying  tribute.  See  2  Kings  iii.  4.  xvii.  3. 
The  proper  names  in  this  verse  are  mere  specimens  or  samples 
of  the  nations  generally.  Tarshish  is  mentioned,  both  as  a  well 
known  mart  or  source  of  wealth,  and  as  a  representative  of  the 
extreme  west.  T/ie  Islands^  agreeably  to  Hebrew  usage,  in- 
clude all  distant  sea-coasts,  but  particularly  those  of  the  Medi- 
terranean. The  distant  south  is  represented,  in  like  manner,  by 
Sheha^  a  province  of  Arabia  Felix,  and  Scha^  now  commonly 
supposed  to  be  Meroe,  a  part  of  ancient  Ethiopia,  both  famous 
for  their  wealth  and  commerce.  The  obvious  allusion  to  the 
Queen  of  Sheba's  visit  to  Jerusalem  (1  Kings  x.  1 — 10)  is  an- 
other stroke  in  this  prophetic  picture  evidently  borrowed  from 
the  times  of  Solomon. 

11.  And  to  him  s/iall  all  kings  how  (or  prostrate  themselves)  , 
all  nations  shall  serve  him.  That  tlie  preceding  verse  contains 
only  a  sample  of  the  nations  over  whom  the  Messiah  was  to 
reign,  is  distinctly  intimated  by  the  universal  and  unqualified  ex- 
pressions of  the  verse  before  us.  The  act  described  in  the  first 
clause  is  one  expressive  both  of  civil  homage  and  religious  wor- 
ship. The  same  thing  is  true  of  the  verb  in  the  last  clause,  which 
may  be  applied  either  to  the  civil  service  of  a  sovereign  by  his 
subjects,  or  to  the  religious  service  of  a  deity  by  his  worship- 
pers. In  this  case,  as  in  v.  10,  both  were  meant  to  be  in- 
cluded. 

12.  For  he  will  deliver  the  needy  crying  (to  him  for  help),  and 
the  sufferer.,  and  him  that  hath  no  helper.  The  literal  translation 
of  the  last  clause  is,  and  there  is  no  one  helping  hini^  or,  and  there 
is  no  helper  to  him.  By  referring  the  pronoun  to  the  sufferer 
mentioned  just  before,  we  niay  take  this,  not  as  the  descriptinn  of 


J  48 


PSALM   LXXII, 


a  third  class,  but  as  a  further  description  of  the  second,  tfu 
suffere?  to  whom  there  is  no  helper.  The  whole  verse  represents 
the  kinr  in  question  as  the  protector,  not  the  oppressor,  of  his 
subJL-cts,  and  assigns  a  reason  for  their  tribute  being  repre- 
sented as  a  requital  of  benefits  received.     See  above,  on  v.  10. 

13.  lie  will  have  pity  on  (or  spare)  the  poor  and  needy ^  and 
the  souls  (or  lives),  of  the  needy  he  will  save.  In  the  first  clause 
the  adjectives  are  of  the  singular  number  and  properly  denote  the 
poor  (man)  and  the  needy  (man.)  The  change  to  the  plural  in 
the  second  clause,  needy  (ones)  or  needy  (people).,  shows  that  the 
singular  was  not  meant  to  denote  a  real  individual,  but  rather  an 
ideal  person,  representing  a  whole  class,  which  is  then  directly 
designated  by  the  plural. 

14.  From  oppression  and  from  violence  he  will  redeem  their 
soulj  and  precious  shall  their  hlood  he  in  his  eyes  (or  sight.)  This 
last  is  an  idiomatic  expression  of  the  idea,  that  a  person  sets  such 
a  value  on  the  life  of  another,  that  he  will  not  sufier  it  to  be  des- 
troyed. See  below,  on  Ps.  cxvi.  15,  and  compare  1  Sam.  xxvi. 
21.  2  Kings  i.  14. 

15.  And  he^  the  poor  man  thus  delivered,  shall  live.,  shall  bo 
preserved  alive,  and.,  in  token  of  his  gratitude  and  willing  subjec- 
tion to  such  a  sovereign,  he  shall  give  to  him.,  as  tribute,  of  the 
gold  of  Sheha.,  one  of  the  regions  mentioned  in  v.  10  and  famous 
for  its  gold  ;  flWfZ /^c,  meaning  still   the  grateful  tributary,  shall 

'  yray  for  him  continually.,  i.  e.  for  the  progress  and  extension  of 
Messiah's  kingdom  ;  all  the  day  (long)  shall  he  bless  him.,  i,  e.  praise 
him,  as  well  for  what  he  is  in  himself,  as  for  the  gifts  which  he 
bestows.  By  some  interpreters  the  meaning  is  reversed  and  the 
Bontcnce  made  to  signify,  that  the  Messiah  shall  live  again,  or  live 
forever,  and  give  precious  gifts  to  the  believer,  and  by  his  constant 
intercession  secure  to  him  the  blessing  of  Jehovah.     This  is  a  good 


PSALM   LXXll.  149 

sense  in  itself  and  appropriate  to  the  context  ;  but  the  dubious 
question  of  construction  seems  to  be  determined  by  the  mention 
of  the  gold  of  Shcba,  which,  in  this  connection,  far  more  probably 
denotes  the  tribute  of  the  subject  than  the  favour  of  the  sovereign. 
See  above,  on  v.  10. 

16.  Let  there  he  (but)  a  handful  of  corn  in  the  land,  in  the  top 
of  the  mountains  ;  its  fruit  shall  ivave  (or  shake)  like  Lebanon,  and 
they  shall  flourish  from  the  city  like  grass  of  the  earth.  The  first 
noun  in  Hebrew  occurs  only  here,  and  has  been  taken  in  senses 
directly  opposite.  The  rabbinical  tradition  makes  it  mean  a 
handful,  the  modern  lexicographers  a  plenty,  each  relying  on  a 
doubtful  etymology.  According  to  the  second  explanation,  the 
clause  is  a  direct  prediction  of  abundance  and  should  be  transla- 
ted, the?'e  shall  be  plenty  of  corn  in  the  land.  According  to  tho 
other  and  more  ancient  view,  the  verse  contains  a  beautiful  anti- 
thesis between  the  small  beginnings  and  the  vast  results  of  the 
Messiah's  kingdom,  not  unlike  that  suggested -by  our  Saviour's 
parable  of  the  grain  of  mustard  seed.  Thiy  exegetical  analogy, 
together  with  the  striking  character  imparted  to  the  verse  by  this 
interpretation,  are  sufficient  to  entitle  it  to  the  preference,  even 
without  regard  to  its  antiquity  and  traditional  authority.  The 
apocopated  future  ("^n"^)  may  then  be  taken  in  its  proper  sense, 
as  a  concession  or  a  wish,  equivalent  to  saying,  though  there  he 
but  a  handful  of  corn  in  the  land,  and  that  in  the  least  favourable 
situation,  an  the  top  of  a  mountain^  which  though  cultivated  (see 
above,  on  v.  3,)  must  of  course  be  colder  and  less  fertile  than  the 
plains  below.  Neither  wave  nor  shake  conveys  the  full  force  of 
the  Hebrew  verb,  which  suggests  the  additional  idea  of  a  rushing 
noise,  like  that  of  the  wind  among  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.  This 
comparison  is  certainly  more  natural  and  obvious  than  that 
which  some  interpreters  assume  with  the  grain-crops  or  harvest- 
fields  of  Lebanon  itself.  This  would  be  merely  likening  one  har- 
vest to  another,  nor  is  any  such  allusion  ever  made  elsewhere  i/f 


150  PSALM   LXXII. 

the  mountain,  though  its  circumjacent  plains  and  valleys  were 
productive.  See  Hos.  xiv.  5 — 7.  The  word  translated  y^oz^risA 
means  oriirinally  to  shine  or  glitter  (Ps.  cxxxii.  18),  but  is  spe- 
cially applied  to  the  brilliancy  of  vegetation,  and  might  therefore 
be  translated  Uoom  or  blossom.  See  Num.  xvii.  23  (8),  and 
compare  Ps.  xc.  6,  xcii.  8  {!.)  ciii.  15.  From  the  city  seems  to 
mean  from  Jerusalem  or  Zion,  as  the  centre  of  Messiah's  king- 
dom and  his  royal  residence,  out  of  which  this  productive  influ- 
ence was  to  go  forth.  Compare  the  form  of  expression  in  this 
clause  with  Num.  xxiv.  19.  Job  v.  25. 

17.  His  name  shall  he  forever  ;  in  the  ^presence  of  the  sun^  i.  e. 
as  long  as  the  sun  shines,  his  name  shall  propagate  (itself)  ;  and 
by  him  shall  they  (i.  e.  men  in  general)  bless  themselves  ;  all  sta- 
tions shall  felicitate  him  (or  pronounce  him  happy.)  The  form 
of  expression  in  the  second  clause  is  borrowed  from  the  patri- 
archal promises  (Gen.  xii.  3.  xviii.  18.  xxviii.  14),  and  is  intended 
to  suggest  the  idea  there  expressed,  that  the  Messiah  should  be 
not  only  blessed  himself,  but  a  source  of  blessing  to  all  nations. 
As  the  happiness  of  the  parent  is  bound  up  in  that  of  the  children, 
and  the  prosperity  of  the  sovereign  inseparable  from  that  of  the 
subjects,  the  one  part  of  this  prediction  necessarily  implies  tho 
other.  If  the  head  is  blessed,  so  must  be  the  members,  the  whole 
body.  If  all  nations  are  to  call  Messiah  blessed,  it  must  be  be- 
cause lie  is  the  author  and  the  giver  of  their  own  prosperity,  nay 
more,  of  their  salvation. 

18,  19.  Blessed  (he)  Jehovah,  God,  the  God  of  Israel,  doing 
wonders  alone,  and  blessed  (be)  his  glorious  name  to  eternity,  and 
(illrd  with  his  glory  be  the  whole  earth.  Amen  and  Amen.  This 
Is  commonly  explained  as  a  doxology  belonging,  not  to  this 
psalm,  but  to  the  second  book,  of  which  it  marks  the  close. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xli.  14  (13.)  But  as  the  psalm  would  end 
jomcwhat  abruptly  with   the   foregoing    verse,  and  as  this  addi- 


PSALM    jlXXIT.  155; 

tioQ  carries  out  the  idea  there  expressed,  by  giving,  as  it  were^ 
the  very  words  in  which  the  nations  shall  pronounce  him  blessed, 
we,  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  doxology  was  added  by  the 
author,  and  that  this  conclusion  of  the  psalm  was  not  the  effect 
but  the  occasion  of  its  being  placed  at  the  close  of  one  of  the  tra- 
ditional divisions  of  the  psalter.  The  wish  in  the  second  clause 
of  V.  19  is  borrowed  from  the  promise  in  Num.  xiv.  21,  of  which 
this  whole  psalm  is  in  fact  a  prolonged  echo. 

20.  Ended  are  the  prayers  of  Davld^  Son  of  Jesse.  The  posi- 
tion of  this  sentence  after  the  doxology,  and  its  prosaic  form,  show 
that  it  forms  no  part  of  the  psalm,  but  relates  to  the  whole  series 
precedino;.  It  does  not  therefore  prove,  as  some  suppose,  that 
Solomon  was  not  the  author  of  the  seventy-second  psalm,  since 
this  exception  and  a  very  few  others  could  not  prevent  the  collec- 
tion being  called  the  prayers  of  David.  A  jpoliorifit  denominatio . 
In  like  manner,  the  whole  Psalter  is  still  called  the  Psalm  of 
David  by  many  who  believe  it  to  contain  some  psalms  by  other 
writers.  That  this  is  the  conclusion  of  an  original  and  separate 
collection,  is  by  no  means  probable,  as  there  is  no  historical  proof 
that  such  collections  ever  existed,  and  it  would  not-  be  easy  to 
account  for  the  omission  of  so  many  psalms  undoubtedly  composed 
by  David.  On  the  whole,  it  is  most  probable,  that  these  words  were 
added  to  the  first  great  subdivision  of  the  whole  collection,  as  en- 
tirely composed  of  psalms  by  David  and  his  contemporaries,  with 
a  few  added  to  them  on  account  of  some  marked  similarity  in 
form  or  substance.  The  only  remaining  supposition  is  that  these 
words  are  part  of  the  original  composition,  and  were  added  by 
Solomon  to  show  that  what  he  here  predicts  would  be  the  fulfilment 
of  his  father's  wishes  and  the  answer  to  his  prayers.  The  objec- 
tion to  this,  besides  the  foi-m  and  position  of  the  verse  itself,  is, 
that  the  verb  is  never  used  to  denote  fulfilment  or  accomplish- 
ment, except  in  the  Plebrew  of  the  later  books.  See  Ezra  i  1 
Dan.  xii.  7. 


152  rSALM    LXXIU 


PSALM   LXXIII. 

1  A  Psalm.  By  Asaph.  Only  good  to  Israel  {is)  God,  to 
the  pure  of  heart.  This  last  expression  is  added  to  limit  or  ex- 
plain the  application  of  the  national  name  Israel,  as  here  denoting 
not  the  race  or  nation,  simply  as  such  considered,  but  the  true 
Israel,  the  sincere  and  spiritual  members  of  the  ancient  church. 
To  these  God  is  good,  and  only  good,  i.  e.  never  otherwise,  never 
unmerciful,  or  even  indifferent.  This  is  the  theme  of  the  whole 
psalm,  and  the  peculiar  form  in  which  it  is  propounded  has  refer- 
ence to  the  previous  conflicts  and  misgivings  of  the  Psalmist, 
through  which  he  had  passed  in  reaching  the  conviction  here  ex- 
pressed. As  if  he  had  said,  '  I  once  thought  othei-wise,  but  now 
I  know  that  God  is  only  good,  and  always  good,  to  the  true  Israel, 
his  real  people.'  He  then  goes  on  to  describe  the  conflicts  thus 
tacitly  referred  to,  first,  by  a  statement  of  the  facts  out  of  which 
they  sprang,  vs.  2 — 11,  then  of  the  effect  which  these  produced 
upon  his  mind,  vs.  12 — 16,  and  then  of  the  means  by  which  he 
had  been  disabused,  vs.  17 — ^20,  and  under  the  influence  of  which  he 
now  condemns  his  own  irrationality  vs.  21 — 22,  adores  the  grace 
hy  which  he  had  been  rescued  from  the  consequences  of  his  error, 
vs.  23 — 24,  and  concludes  with  an  expression  of  his  hearty  reli- 
ance upon  that  grace  for  his  safety  and  happiness  hereafter,  vs. 
25 — 28.  There  is  not  the  slightest  ground  for  doubting  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  title,  which  ascribes  the  psalm  to  Asaph,  the  con- 
temporary of  David  and  his  chief  musician,  and  himself  moreover 


PSALM    LXXIII 


153 


an  inspired  Psalmist.  This  last  fact,  wliich  is  matter  of  recorded 
history  (see  above,  on  Ps.  1.  1),  together  with  the  fact  that  where 
only  one  name  is  mentioned  in  the  title  of  a  psalm  it  is  uniformly 
that  of  the  writer,  may  suffice  to  set  aside  the  supposition,  that 
Asaph  is  only  named  as  the  performer. 

2.  And  I  (or  as  for  me)^  my  fed  were  almost  gone,  my  steps  had 
"jodlmgh  slipped.  The  pronoun  in  the  first  clause  is  emphatic. 
J,  who  so  confidently  make  this  profession  of  my  faith  in  God's 
unchanging  goodness,  am  one  whose  feet  were  almost  gone,  liter- 
ally, indined  or  hent^  -either  from  the  straight  course  or  from  an 
erect  position.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  3  (2),  where  the  same 
verb  is  applied  to  a  wall  inclined  or  bent  by  violence.  The 
phrases  rendered  almost  and  well  nigh  strictly  mean  like  little  and 
like  nothing.)  and  imply  that  it  wanted  little  or  nothing  of  a  fear- 
ful fall  on  his  part,  in  other  words,  that  he  had  narrowly  escaped 
it.  Slipped.)  literally,  poured  out.,  which  seems  to  be  a  figure  both 
for  weakness  and  divergence.  Instead  of  pursuing  a  direct  course, 
or  remaining  in  a  firm  position,  his  steps  were  scattered  and 
without  efibct,  like  water  poured  upon  the  ground.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxii.  15  (14.) 

3.  For  I  was  envious  at  the  proud  ;  the  peace  of  wicked  (men) 
I  see  (and  must  see.)  He  now  proceeds  to  state  more  distinctly 
the  nature  of  the  fall  from  which  he  had  so  narrowly  escaped.  It 
was  the  sin  and  folly  of  denying  the  justice  and  fidelity  of  God 
because  of  providential  inequalities  and  mysteries.  The  proud  or 
insolent^  a  general  description  of  the  wicked,  as  in  Ps.  v.  5  (4.) 
The  common  version  in  both  places  {foolish)  is  less  probable,  but 
does  not  materially  change  the  sense.  In  the  last  clause,  he  re- 
verts to  his  experience  at  an  earlier  date,  and  expresses  himself 
as  he  might  have  done  at  that  time.  This  relation  of  the  clauses 
may  be  rendered  clearer  by  supplying  a  word  or  phrase  between 
them      '  I  was  envious  at  the  proud  fand  said),  the  peace,'  etc 

7* 


154  PSALM    LXXIH. 

Peace^  as  the  negation  and  the  opposite  of  all  disturbing  causos, 
really  suggests  the  idea  of  prosperity  in  general.  The  future 
form  of  the  verb  has  respect,  not  to  the  date  of  composition,  but 
to  tbat  of  the  events  recorded,  when  the  Psalmist  not  only  saw, 
but  expected  long  to  see,  the  undisturbed  prosperity  of  sinners. 

4,  For  there  are  no  lands  at  thdr  death  ;  and  fat ^  i.  e.  healthy 
or  robust,  (is)  their  strength.  Some  understand  the  first  clause 
to  mean  that  they  are  not  bound  or  forced  to  die  like  other  men. 
The  more  obvious  sense  is,  that  when  they  do  die,  they  are  not 
In  bonds  or  chains  like  other  men,  but  free,  common  figures  for 
distress  or  suffering  and  its  opposite. 

5.  In  the  labour  of  man  they  are  not^  they  are  not  partakers  in 
the  common  troubles  of  humanity,  and  with  mankind  they  are  not 
iviitten  (or  afflicted.)  The  use  of  the  future  is  precisely  the  same 
as  in  V.  3.  Thoy  are  not,  and  to  all  appearance  never  will  be, 
sharers  in  the  common  calamities  of  life. 

•  6.  Therefore  pride  has  enchained  them^  the  garh  of  violence  (in- 
justice or  cruelty)  covers  them.  The  first  verb  strictly  means  to 
encircle  or  adorn  the  neck,  perhaps  with  allusion  to  the  carriage 
of  that  member  as  indicative  of  pride.  See  Isai.  iii.  16.  Job  xv. 
26. 

7.  Their  eyes  stand  out  toith  fatness;  the  ima gin/itions  of  the 
heart  pass  (out,  come  forth,  or  are  disclosed.)  The  common 
version  of  the  last  clause,  they  have  more  than  heart  could  wishy 
assumes  as  the  literal  meaning  of  the  words,  they  surpass  the  r/e- 
sires  of  their  heart.  According  to  the  other  construction  above 
given,  the  meaning  is  that  as  their  eyes  stand  out  with  fatness,  so 
their  hearts  overflow  with  evil  thoughts.  Compare  Matt.  xii.  35 
XV.  19.  Mark  vii.  21.  luke  ii.  35.  vi.  4d. 


PSALM     LXXllI.  155 

8.  They  mock  and  speak  in  wickedness  (or  malice)  ;  oppression 
from  on  high  they  speak.  To  speak  oppression  is  to  speak  words 
tending  to  the  injury  of  others.  From  on  high.,  proudly,  with 
arrogant  contempt  of  others.  They  speak  as  if  from  a  superior 
position. 

9.  They  set  their  mouth  in  heaven^  and  their  tongue  goes  on 
earth.  The  idea  in  the  first  clause  is  the  same  as  in  the  last 
clause  of  the  foregoing  verse.  They  speak  as  if  they  thought 
themselves  superior  beings,  their  mouth  in  heaven  and  their 
tongue  on  earth.      Goes.^  runs,  is  actively  employed. 

10.  Therefore  he  brings  hack  his  people  hither.,  and  waters  of 
fulness  are  wrung  out  to  them  (or  drained  by  them.)  This  ob- 
scure verse  admits  of  several  interpretations,  the  most  natural  of 
which  understands  the  sense  to  be,  that  God  still  suffers  or  re- 
quires his  people  to  survey  the  painful  spectacle  and  drain  the 
bitter  draught  presented  by  the  undisturbed  prosperity  of  wicked 
men.  According  to  the  masoretic  reading  in  the  margin  of  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  the  first  verb  is  intransitive,  his  people  shall  (cr 
must)  return  hither.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7.  liii.  7  (6.) 

11.  And  they  say,  how  should  God  know.,  and  (howj  can  th'.re 
he  knowledge  iii  the  Highest  ?  Some  interpreters  regard  these  as 
the  words  of  the  prosperous  sinners  whom  he  has  been  descnb- 
ifcig.  But  according  to  the  sense  just  put  upon  the  tenth  verse, 
the  eleventh  must  express  the  misgivings  of  God's  people,  with 
respect  to  the  providential  inequalities  in  question.  When  still 
brought  back  to  the  sight  of  these,  they  are  constrained  to  ask 
how  they  can  possibly  be  reconciled  with  the  hypothesis  of  God's 
omniscience.  This  is  much  more  natural  than  to  suppose  that 
the  sinners  themselves  admit  the  being  of  a  God,  and  yet  gra- 
tuitously question  his  omniscience.  In  the  latter  case  the  hot'-' 
would  be  unmeaning  ;  in  the  former,  it  is  the  most  natural  ex- 


156  PSALM    LXXIII. 

pression  of  the  doubt  supposed.  An  atheist,  whether  theoretical 
or  practical,  would  hardly  ask,  how  can  God  know  ^  Even  a 
wicked  theist  would  be  rather  apt  to  say,  he  does  not  know. 
But  nothing  can  be  more  appropriate  in  the  mouth  of  a  perplexed 
and  tempted  believer  than  the  question,  how  can  God  know  thia 
and  yet  suffer  it  ? 

12.  io,  these  are  wicked  {men)y  and  (yet  they  are)  seaire  for 
ere/-,  they  i7icrease  strength  (or  substance.)  These  are  still  the 
words  of  the  perplexed  believer,  expressing  his  surprise  at  the 
prosperity  of  sinners.  See,  these  are  wicked  men,  and  yet  in- 
stead of  being  wretched,  or  prospering  only  for  a  little  while, 
they  are  prosperers  of  eternity,  perpetually  prospered  and  at 
ease,  secure  from  change.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxx,  7.  Instead 
of  losing  what  they  have,  they  still  gain  more,  and  go  on  adding 
to  their  wealth  and  to  the  power  which  it  gives  them.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  Ix.  14  (12.) 

13.  Only  (in)  vain  have  I  cleansed  my  heart,  and  in  innocence 
have  washed  my  hands.  These  may  be  taken  either  indefinitely 
as  the  words  of  any  person  in  the  painful  situation  just  described. 
Of  more  specifically  as  the  words  of  the  psalmist,  by  whom  the 
whole  class  was  in  fact  represented.  They  contain  the  inference 
•which  would  be  naturally  drawn  in  such  a  situation,  even  by  a 
true  believer,  but  one  tempted  to  repine  and  doubt  by  the  sight 
of  providential  enigmas.  '  Since  then  it  is  the  wicked  who  en- 
joy God's  favour,  all  my  efi"orts  to  avoid  sin  and  to  do  his  will  have 
been  gratuitous  and  fruitless.'  With  the  first  words  of  the  verse 
compare  Ps.  xxxix.  6,  12  (5,  11.) 

14.  And  I  have  been  smitten  all  the  day,  and  my  chastisement 
(has  been  inflicted)  every  morning,  literally,  at  (or  in)  the  morn- 
ings. A  similar  form  of  expression  occurs  twice  in  Job  vii.  18. 
Smitten,  literally  touched,  i    e.  by  the  hand  of  God,   a  common 


PSALM   LXXIII.  157 

rxpression  for  affliction,  and  especially  for  bodily  diseass  con- 
Bidered  as  a  divine  judgment.  The  same  idea  was  meant  to  be 
conveyed  by  the  common  version  {plagued.)  The  psalmist  here 
contrasts  his  own  afflictions  with  the  undisturbed  enjoyments  of 
his  wicked  neighbours.  '  While  they,  though  wicked,  still  in- 
crease in  wealth  and  seem  secure  for  ever,  I,  who  have  faithfully 
endeavoured  to  avoid  sin  and  to  do  the  will  of  God,  am  subjected 
every  day  and  all  day,  to  privation  and  distress.' 

15.  If  I  have  said^  I  ivill  declare  thus^  hehold.^  the  generation 
of  thy  sons  I  have  perfidiously  treated.  This  is  equivalent  to  say- 
ing, if  I  did  say  so,  I  should  be  acting  falsely  towards  thy  chil- 
dren. It  is  indeed  the  only  Hebrew  form  in  which  such  a  hypo- 
thetical proposition  could  well  be  clothed.  Said.^  i.  e.  to  myself,  pro- 
posed it,  formed  the  purpose.  Thus  declare.^  i.  e.  publicly  express 
my  doubts  and  skeptical  misgivings.  This,  as  it  has  been  well 
observed,  the  true  believer  never  does,  until  he  is  able  to  announce 
his  conflict  and  his  victory  together.  Behold  or  to  is  here  equi- 
valent to  our  idiomatic  why  then.,  meaning  in  that  case  or  on  that 
supposition.,  and  expressing  at  the  same  time  some  surprise  at  his 
own  suggestion  as  a  strange  one.  The  generation  of  thy  sons.,  the 
contemporary  race  of  true  believers,  called  the  sons  of  God,  not 
only  as  the  objects  of  his  love,  but  as  partakers  of  his  nature  (2 
Pet.  i.  4.)  Treated  perfidiously.,  proved  false  to  them,  by  weak- 
ening the  foundation  of  their  hope,  instead  of  strengthening  their 
faith  and  allaying  their  misgivings.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  3. 

16.  And  I  meditated  to  know  this  ;  a  trouble  (loas)  it  in  my 
eyes.  Although  he  abstained  from  openly  expressing  what  he 
thought,  he  still  did  think,  he  pondered  the  whole  matter,  with 
a  view  to  understand  it,  to  discover  some  solution  of  the  mystery, 
which  not  only  puzzled  but  distressed  him.  The  apparent  in- 
equality of  God's  providential  dealings  was  a  toil,  a  trouble,  an 
unhappiness,  in  his  esteem. 


1 58 


PSALM   LXXIIl 


17.  Until  I  come  to  trie  sanctuaries  of  God^  1  loill  consider  (or 
observe)  their  end.  The  futures  have  reference,  as  in  vs.  3,  5, 
to  the  date  of  the  anterior  experience  here  recorded.  '  But  I  said 
to  myself,  I  will  wait  till  I  come  into  God's  presence  and  inquire 
of  him,  and  then,  or  in  the  mean  time,  I  will  look  at  or  attend  to 
the  end  as  well  as  the  beginning  and  the  progress  of  their  lives.' 
The  plural  form  holy  pla^t^es,  is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  Ixviii.  36  (35.) 
It  denotes  the  sanctuary  in  its  whole  extent,  as  the  earthly  resi- 
dence of  God,  and  the  place  where  he  communed  with  his 
people.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  2. 

18.  Only  in  slippery  places  thou  wilt  set  them^  or  art  setting 
them,  (and  now)  thou  hast  let  (or  made)  them  fall  into  destruc- 
tion. However  honourable  and  happy  their  position  may  appear 
to  themselves,  the  psalmist  can  see  nothing  but  its  danger,  as 
implied  in  his  use  of  the  word  only.  Smoothnesses^  smooth  or  slip- 
pery places,  where  their  foot-hold  is  precarious  and  their  fall 
inevitable.  He  sees  God,  by  his  providential  favours,  placing 
them  in  this  desired  but  fearful  situation,  and  then  allowing  them 
to  drop  into  destruction.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  occurs  only 
here  and  in  the  next  psalm,  where  it  means  ruins.  If  this  sense ^ 
be  adopted  here,  we  must  suppose  a  change  of  figure  and  an 
allusion  to  the  fall,  not  of  a  man  from  a  slippery  precipice,  but 
of  a  building  crumbled  by  decay  or  violence. 

19.  How  are  they  (brought)  to  desolation  as  (in)  a  moment! 
They  have  censed .^  they  are  consumed  icith  terrors  !  He  here  ex- 
presses his  surprise  at  the  abruptness  and  completeness  of  their 
ruin  The  meaning  of  the  last  clause  seems  to  be,  that  their 
very  apprehensions  were  sufficient  to  destroy  them,  much  more 
the  actual  experience  of  what  they  apprehended. 

20.  As  a,  dream  on  waking.,  Lord.,  in  looking.,  their  image  thou 
will  scorn.     The  word  translated  image  means  an  appearance,  as 


PSALM    LXXTlf.  159 

opposed  to  the  substance  or  reality.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxix 
7  (6.)  The  present  prosperity  of  wicked  men  will  seem  here- 
after, and  to  God's  eye  now  seems,  like  an  empty  dream,  worthy 
only  of  contemptuous  oblivion.  The  only  dubious  expression  in 
the  verse  is  that  translated  waking  in  the  second  clause,  which  is 
entirely  different  from  the  one  so  rendered  in  the  first  clause. 
The  Hebrew  phrase  (I'^S'S)  is  used  in  more  than  fifty  other  places 
and  in  all  of  them  means  in  the  city.  See,  for  example,  Ps.  Iv, 
10  (9.)  This  meaning  is  retained  by  some  interpreters  in  the 
case  before  us.  The  reference  will  then  be  either  to  the  holy 
city,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxii.  16,  or  to  the  city  where  the  previous  scene 
is  supposed  to  have  been  laid,  as  in  Ps.  xxxi.  22  (21.)  The  old 
interpretation  takes  the  word  as  an  infinitive,  from  a  verb  which, 
however,  is  always  transitive  and  means  to  awaken^  except  per- 
haps in  Job  viii.  6  and  in  Ps  xxxv.  23  above.  To  this  interpre- 
tation it  is  furthermore  objected,  that  it  supposes  an  unusual 
contraction  (I'^^S  for  n^yns),  and  that  the  sense  which  it  con- 
veys is  an  incongruous  one.  But  that  God  should  despise  them 
in  the  act  of  waking  is,  to  say  the  least,  as  intelligible  as  that  he 
should  despise  them  in  the  city.  In  either  case,  the  general 
meaning  of  the  sentence  is  too  clear  to  be  mistaken. 

21.  For  my  heart  is  soured^  and  {in  or  as  to)  my  reins  I  am 
fiej-ced.  The  Hebrew  verbs  are  of  the  future  form,  although 
really  relating  to  past  time,  which  the  psalmist's  memory  recalls 
as  a  state  of  things  then  likel}'-  to  continue.  See  above  on  vs. 
3,  5.  The  verbs  are  also  properly  reflexives,  my  heart  exacer- 
bates itself.,  I  pierce  mysef^  and  are  perhaps  intended  to  describe 
his  sufferings  as  the  fruit  of  his  own  siu  and  folly. 

22.  And  I  {vim)  brutish  a'nd  know  not  (the  true  state  of  the 
ease);  a  beast  have  I  been  xoith  thee.  The  last  noun  is  in  the 
t)lural  number  (beasts),  as  if  to  signify  a  beast  by  way  of  emi- 
nence, in  which  sense  it  is  literally  applied  to  one  of  the  wonders 


160 


PSALM    LXXIll. 


of  the  animal  kingdom  (Job  xl.  15.)  With  the  fir.^t  clause  com 
pare  Prov.  xxx.  2,  and  see  above,  on  Ps.  xlix.  11  (10.)  These 
strong  expressions  contain  an  acknowledgment  of  his  own  irra- 
tionality in  questioning  God's  faithfulness  and  kindness.  In  this 
verse  there  is  an  insensible  transition  from  the  present  to  the 
past,  from  the  ideal  to  the  real  time  of  the  events  in  question, 
IJlth  thee  suggests  an  aggravating  circumstance,  to  wit,  that  this 
folly  was  committed  in  the  presence  ot  God,  and  as  it  were  in  his 
society.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  26,  27  (25,  26.) 

23.  And  (yet)  I  {am)  still  with  thee;  thou  hast  held  (me)  hy 
my  right  hand.  Notwithstanding  his  ungrateful  and  irrational 
conduct  in  God's  presence,  he  had  not  been  driven  from  it,  as 
he  justly  might  have  been.  The  word  translated  still  properly 
means  always^  and  denotes  that  there  had  been  no  change  or 
interruption  in  the  previous  relation  of  the  parties.  There  is 
a  perfectly  analogous  usage  of  the  French  toujoihis.  In  the 
last  clause  he  seems  to  return  to  the  metaphor  with  which  he 
Bet  out.  As  the  fatal  error  which  he  had  escaped  is  in  v.  2  repre- 
sented as  a  fall,  so  here  his  preservation  from  it  is  ascribed  to 
God's  having  held  him  up  by  his  right  hand.  See  above,  on  Ps,~ 
xvii.  5.  xli.  13  (12.)  Ixiii.  9  (8.) 

24.  In  (or  hy)  thy  counsel  thou  wilt  guide  me^  and  after  glory 
thou  wilt  take  me.  The  form  of  the  original  is  such  that  it  may 
either  express  consent  or  confident  expectation  ;  but  the  latter  in 
this  case  really  includes  the  former.  By  thy  counsel.,  thy  instruc- 
tion and  advice,  considered  as  a  means  of  safety  ;  or  in  thy  counsel^ 
i.  e.  in  the  execution  of  thy  plan  or  purpose,  as  the  end  to  be  ac- 
complished. The  last  clause  is  obscure.  To  the  common  version 
{and  afterward  receive  me  to  glory)  it  has  been  objected,  that  it 
takes  the  preposition  after  as  an  adverb,  and  assumes  an  unusual 
sense  and  construction  of  the  verb,  and  also  that  it  makes  tlw 
guidance  and  the   glory  too  distinct  and  successive.     The  coo- 


PSALM  LXXlll.  161 

etruction  which  it  is  proposed  to  substitute  15,  thou  ivilt  talce  me 
after  glory ^  i.  e.  make  me  overtake  it,  cause  me  to  attain  it, 
briug  me  to  it.  The  same  construction  may  be  made  to  yield 
another  sense,  to  wit,  after  honouring  me  here  thou  wilt  receive 
me  to  thyself,  after  honour  thou  wilt  take  me.  This,  it  is  true^ 
is  liable  to  some  of  the  objections  brought  against  the  usual  con» 
struction.  But  the  choice  at  best  is  one  of  difficulties,  and  some 
of  the  objections  spring  entirely  from  the  wish  to  exclude  a 
reference  to  a  future  state,  which,  however,  is  as  evident  in  this 
yerse  as  it  is  in  vs.  16,  19,  if  interpreted  in  any  natural  and 
reasonable  manner. 

25.  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  1  And  with  thee  I  have  not  desired 
(any)  wpon  earth.  The  literal  translation  of  the  first  clause  is, 
who  (is)  to  me  in  heaven^  i.  e.  what  protector  or  provider  ?  The 
idea  of  another  besides  God  may  be  supplied  in  this  clause  from 
the  next,  where  with  thee  can  denote  either  combination  or  com- 
parison. I  have  desired  none  in  addition  or  in  preference  to  thee  j 
thou  art  alone  and  all-sufficient. 

26.  Spent  is  my  flesh  and  my  heart ;  the  rock  of  my  heart  and 
my  portion  {is)  God  to  eternity.  The  first  clause  is  by  some  un- 
derstood as  meaning  even  if  or  even  when  my  flesh,  etc.  But  the 
Psalmist  rather  assumes  the  actual  occurrence  of  the  extreme  case 
here  described,  or  places  himself  in  it  as  an  ideal  situation.  Flesh 
and  heart.,  body  and  soul,  the  whole  man,  or  the  whole  life,  out- 
ward and  inward,  bodily  and  mental.  The,  rock  of  my  heart.,  the 
Bupport  of  my  life,  that  on  which  it  rests  as  on  a  solid  basis.  The 
idea  is  not  simply  that  of  strength  but  of  a  strong  foundation.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  My  portion.,  the  source  of  my  subsist- 
ence and  my  happiness.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  5,  and  with  the 
whole  verse  compare  Job  xix,  25 — 27. 

27.  For  loj  those  far  from  thee  shall  pe'  ish  ;  thou. hast  desti  'jyed 


j(52  PSALM   LXXril. 

all  (or  miry  one)  whoring  from  thee.  This  verse  assigns  liiw  rea- 
son  for  relying  upon  God  and  making  him  his  portion.  Those  far 
from  thee,  literally,  thy  far  {ones.)  They  certainly  will  perish, 
for  all  such  have  perished  heretofore.  The  union  hetween  God 
and  his  people  being  often  represented  by  the  figure  of  a 
conjugal  relation,  their  violation  of  the  covenant  is  spoken  of  as 
spiritual  whoredom  or  adultery.  See  above  on  Ps.  xlv.  1,  and 
compare  Lev.  xx.  6.  Num.  xiv.  33.  In  the  same  sense  our  Sa- 
viour calls  the  unfaithful  Israel  of  his  day  a  wicked  and  adulterous 
generation.  See  Matt.  xii.  39.  xvi.  4.  Mark  viii.  38.  The  per- 
sons threatened  with  destruction  here  are  not  merely  sinners  in 
general,  but  the  wicked  members  of  the  ancient  church  or  chosen 
people  in  particular. 

28.  And  7,  or  as  for  me — the  approach  of  God  to  me  (is)  good; 
I  have  placed  in  the  Lord  Jehovah  my  trust,  to  declare  all  thy 
doings.  The  absolute  nominative  at  the  beginning  puts  himself 
in  strong  contrast  with  the  apostates  of  the  foregoing  verse.  Com- 
pare the  beginning  of  vs.  2,  23,  above.  The  nearness  or  approach 
of  God  is  an  ambiguous  expression,  as  in  Isai.  Iviii.  2,  where  it 
may  either  mean  God's  drawing  near  to  the  people  or  their  draw^ 
ing  near  to  him.  In  the  case  before  us  both  may  be  implied,  as 
in  James  iv.  8  both  are  expressed,  .Dr(2w  nigh  to  God  and  he  toill 
draw  nigh  to  you.  To  me  may  be  connected  either  with  approach, 
as  in  Ps.  xxvii.  2,  or  with  good.,  as  in  v.  1  above.  Good  is  here 
to  be  taken  in  the  absolute  sense  of  the  siwimum  honnm  or  chief 
good.  The  meaning  is  not  merely  that  nearness  to  God  is  a  good 
thing  in  itself,  or  a  useful  thing  to  man,  but  that  it  comprehends 
whatever  he  can  wish  or  hope  for.  '  Let  apostates  wander  far 
from  God  and  perish  ;  I  am  resolved  to  seek  my  highest  happi- 
ness in  being  near  him.'  The  Lord  Jehovah  is  a  combination 
expressive  of  God's  sovereignty,  self-existence,  and  covenant  re- 
lation to  his  people.  My  trust,  my  hiding-place  or  refuge.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xi.  1.     The  last  clause  shows  that  he  wishes  to  be 


PSALM    LXXTV.  163 

i^omething  more  than  a  more  passive  beneficiary.  He  desires  not 
only  to  enjoy  but  to  celebrate  God's  goodness.  The  word  trans- 
lated doings  is  applied  both  to  acts  and  to  affairs  or  business. 


PSALM   LXXIV 


The  church  prays  for  deliverance  from  extreme  distress,  en- 
forcing the  petition,  first  by  a  description  of  the  actual  state  of 
things,  vs.  1 — 12,  and  then  by  an  appeal  to  former  mercies,  vs. 
13 — 23.  The  historical  occasion  is  not  given,  but  the  terms  of 
the  description  seem  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  state  of  Judah 
after  the  destruction  of  the  temple  and  the  holy  city  by  the  Ba 
bylonians,  as  described  in  Jer.  Hi.  12 — 34. 

1 .  Maschil.  By  Asaph.  Why^  oh  God^  hast  thou  cast  off  forever^ 
smohes  thy  wrath  at  thejiock  of  thy  pasture  ?  The  description  of 
the  psalm  as  a  didactic  one  shows  that  it  was  not  meant  to  be 
used  in  reference  to  its  original  occasion  merely,  but  in  every 
emergency  resembling  it.  For  this  reason  the  question,  what 
that  occasion  was,  is  of  little  exegetical  importance,  although  not 
without  interest  in  connection  with  the  critical  inquiry  as  to  the 
date  of  composition.  The  state  of  things  assumed,  and  indeed 
described,  is  so  unlike  that  which  existed  in  the  time  of  David, 
that  we  must  either  make  the  psalm  prophetical,  which  is  arbi- 
trary and  without  analogy,  or  no  less  arbitrarily  reject  the  title 
as  a  spurious  addition  to  the  text,  or  understand  by  Asaph  the 
descendants  of  David's  Chief  Musician,  among  whom  the  gift 
and  oflSce  of  their  ancestor  were  hereditary.     See  above,  on  Ps 


J61  PSALM    LXXIV. 

1.  1,  and  compare  2  Chron.  xxxv.  15.  Ezr.  ii.  41.  iii.  10.  Neh. 
vii.  44.  xi.  22.  That  this  title  indicates  the  author,  and  not 
meroly  the  performer,  can  only  be  inferred  from  the  general  fact, 
that  where  a  single  name  is  given  it  is  usually  that  of  the  writer. 
See  above  on  Ps.  xlii.  1.  Ixxii.  1.  The  interrogation  in  this 
verse  does  not  involve  a  disavowal  of  guilt  or  ill-desert,  but  is 
rather  a  passionate  expostulation  and  inJiroct  petition  for  deliver- 
ance. Cast  off^  a  verb  implying  abhorrence  and  disgust.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xliii.  2.  xliv.  10,  24  (9,  23.)  Ix.  3,  12(1,  10.)  As 
the  object  is  easily  supplied,  namely,  us  or  thy  peojjle,  its  omission 
adds  to  the  strength  of  the  expression.  Cast  off  forever^  as  it 
seems  to  us  and  others.  Why  hast  thou  cast  us  off  with  what  ap- 
pears to  be  a  final  and  perpetual  rejection  ?  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xiii.  2  (1.)  The  interrogation  is  continued  throuo-hout  the  sen- 
tence. (  Wliy)  smokes  or  will  smoke  ?  The  future  form  suggests 
the  same  idea  as  the  forever  in  the  other  clause.  '  Why  is  thy 
wrath  to  continue  smoking  P  The  presence  of  smoke  presup- 
poses that  of  fire  ;  but  the  former  is  particularly  mentioned,  per- 
haps for  the  purpose  of  adding  to  the  primary  idea  of  distress  or 
destruction  the  secondary  one  of  gloom  and  terror.  At  or  against 
thy  people,  literally,  iw,  arnoiig  them.  See  below  on  Ps.  Ixxx.  5~ 
(4),  and  compare  Deut.  xxix.  19  (20.)  The  sheep  (or  fiock)  of 
thy  pasture^  those  who  feed  upon  thy  pasture,  or  are  fed  by  thee, 
a  favourite  designation  of  the  chosen  people,  as  the  occupants  of 
the  Land  of  Promise.  The  figurative  form  of  the  description  was 
originally  furnished  by  the  pastoral  experience  of  David,  but  from 
him  was  borrowed  by  other  sacred  writers.  See  below,  Ps.  Ixxix. 
13.  c.  3.  ' 

2.   Rememler  thy  congregation  thou  hast  purchased  of  old  (and) 

edeemed  the  rod  of  thine  inheritance^  this  Mount  Zion  thow  hast 

iwelt  in.     The  ellipsis  of  the  relative  in  both  the  clauses  of  this 

verse  is  common  to  the  Hebrew  and  the  English  idiom.     The 

Word  translated  congregation  is  one  of  those  applied  in  the  Old 


PSALM    LXXIV.  165 

Testament  to  Israel  as  an  organized  body  and  the  people  of  Jeho 
vah.  See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  5.  Purchased^  acquired,  made  thine 
own.  The  word  translated  of  old  is  a  noun  meaning  antiquity, 
but  here  used  as  an  adverb  of  time.  The  full  phrase  occurs  below 
in  V.  12.  The  next  verb  contains  a  specification  of  the  first,  to 
wit,  that  he  jpurchascd  by  redeeming  them  from  bondage,  with 
particular  reference  to  the  exodus  from  Egypt.  The  rod  of  thine 
inheritance  is  a  phrase  which,  to  any  Hebrew  reader,  would  sug- 
gest the  twofold  idea  of  a  chieftain's  staff,  the  badge  of  authority 
in  the  several  tribes,  and  that  of  a  measuring  rod,  here  put  for 
the  portion  of  land  measured.  The  whole  sense  conveyed  by 
these  associations  is  that  of  a  definite  province,  with  its  population, 
of  which  God  is  the  possessor  and  the  sovereign.  The  last  clause 
applies  what  had  been  said  of  the  people  and  the  land  still  more 
specifically  to  the  central  point  of  the  theocracy.  Mount  Zion 
may  be  understood  as  a  description  of  the  whole  of  Jerusalem, 
including  the  temple  upon  Mount  Moriah.  This  Mount  Zion, 
with  which  the  speakers  were  familiar,  and  at  or  near  which  they 
are  supposed  to  be  speaking.  The  explanation  of  this  as  a  rela- 
tive is  gratuitous,  nor  could  the  idea  {this  Mount  Zion)  have 
been  well  expressed  in  any  other  form  of  Hebrew  words.  The 
grand  distinction  of  Mount  Zion,  in  the  wide  sense  just  explained, 
was  the  inhabitation  of  Jehovah,  which  is  therefore  here  expressly 
mentioned  in  the  closing  words. 

3.  Lift  thy  steps  to  the  perpetual  ruins^  all  the  enemy  has  ill  done 
in  the  holy  place.  The  first  phrase  is  a  poetical  expression  mean- 
ing simply  advan^e^  draw  near^  for  the  purpose  of  inspection. 
The  word  translated  ruins  occurs  only  here  and  in  Ps.  Ixxiii.  18. 
The  whole  phrase  strictly  means  ruins  of  perpetuity.,  i.  e.  such  as 
appear  likely  to  continue  forever,  and  will  certainly  do  so,  unless 
God  comply  with  this  request  to  draw  near.  The  construction  of 
the  second  clause  adopted  by  some  writers,  the  enemy  has  destroyed 
all   (or   every  thing)   vi  the  holy  placCj  is  scarcely  grammatical 


166  PSALM   LXXIV. 

To  express  that  idea,  the  word  all  would  have  the  article,  as  in 
Ps.  xiv.  3,  or  a  suffix,  as  in  Ps.  xxix.  9,  whereas  its  intimate  con- 
nection here  wdth  the  following  verb  in  Hebrew  is  equivalent  to  a 
relative  construction.  Ill  done^  injured  or  destroyed,  done  mis- 
chief. 

4.  Thine  adversaries  have  roared  in  the  midst  of  thine  assemhly  ; 
ihty  have  set  their  signs  (as)  signs.  The  tumultuous  violence  of 
the  destroyers  is  described  in  the  first  clause  by  a  figure  borrowed 
from  the  habits  of  wild  beasts,  and  elsewhere  used  as  an  expres- 
sion of  extreme  distress.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  2  (1.)  xxxii. 
3.  xxxviii.  9  (8.)  The  word  translated  assembly  is  not  the  same 
that  is  rendered  congregation  in  v.  2,  but  one  that  strictly  means 
a  meeting  by  mutual  agreement  or  appointment,  and  is  specially 
applied  to  the  meeting  between  God  and  his  people  at  the  sanc- 
tuary, which  was  therefore  designated  in  the  law  as  the  tent  oj 
meeting  (151)3  b'jj^),  not  merely  the  tent  where  the  people  as- 
sembled, but  the  place  where  they  met  with  God  by  previous 
appointment  See  Ex.  xxv.  8.  xxix.  42,  43,  45,  46.  Num.  xvii. 
19  (4.)  The  ideas  suggested  by  the  etymology  and  usage  of  the  He- 
brew noun  are  those  of  previous  appointment,  the  act  of  meeting- 
consequent  upon  it,  the  persons  met,  and  the  place  where  they 
assemble.  The  full  sense  therefore  of  the  phrase  here  used  is, '  in 
the  midst  of  thy  people  assembled  at  the  appointed  time  and 
place  to  meet  thee  '  The  exclusive  local  meaning  put  by  some 
upon  the  words  is  quite  gratuitous.  The  plural  form  which  some 
assume  (thine  assemblies)  varies  the  meaning  only  by  suggesting 
the  idea  of  repeated  convocations,  '  in  the  midst  of  thy  people, 
whenever  (or  as  often  as)  they  meet  thee  thus,'  but  without  at  all 
conveying  the  idea  of  numerous  or  even  different  places.  Set., 
tixcd,  established ;  or  set  up,  exhibited,  exposed  to  view.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  44  (43.)  xxxix.  9  (8.)  xliv.  14,  15  (13,  U.) 
1  he  common  version  of  the  last  words,  ensigns  for  signs.,  conveya 
A  false  impression  of  the  form  of  the  original,  in  which  the  two 


PSALM    LXXIV.  IG: 

nouns  are  identical.  The  word  signs  does  not  necessarily  denote 
either  military  or  religious  ensigns,  but  rather  signifies  in  general 
the  insignia  of  sovereignty.  For  all  that  once  marked  the  pre- 
sence and  authority  of  God  the  impious  enemy  had  substituted 
the  signs  or  tokens  of  their  own  ascendancy.  In  other  words, 
they  had  usurped  God's  place  in  his  very  sanctuary,  the  spot 
which  he  had  chosen  for  his  earthly  residence. 

5.  Tie  is  known  (or  shall  be  known)  as  (one)  raising  on  high, 
in  the  thicket  of  the  wood,  axes.  The  most  probable  sense  of  this 
obscure  verse  is  as  follows  :  the  ruthless  enemy  is  known  or 
recognised  as  dealing  with  the  sanctuary  no  more  tenderly  than 
a  woodman  with  the  forest  which  he  fells.  On  high  seems  to  be 
added  to  suggest  the  force  of  the  blow  and  the  sweep  of  the  arm 
which  deals  it.  The  thicket  may  be  mentioned  for  the  purpose  of 
contrasting  the  delicate  and  complicated  wood-work  of  the  temple 
with  the  worthless  undergrowth  which  the  woodman  cuts  away 
without  scruple  or  discrimination.  The  word  translated  wood  is 
often  used  as  a  collective  meaning  trees. 

6.  And  no2V  the  carvings  thereof  together  (or  at  once)  with  sledge, 
and  hammers  they  heat  {down).  This  completes  the  comparison 
begun  in  the  preceding  verse,  with  which  the  one  before  us  is 
connected  by  the  phrase  and  now,  i.  e.  in  this  case.  As  in  the 
case  supposed  the  woodman  deals  with  trees  and  thickets,  so 
in  the  real  case  the  spoiler  deals  with  the  costly  fruits  of  art  and 
skill.  The  word  translated  carvings  is  expressly  used  in  the  de- 
scription of  the  temple.  See  1  Kings  vi.  29,  and  compare  Ex 
xxviii.  11.  xxxix.  6.  The  suffix  {thereof)  has  no  grammaticaJ 
antecedent  in  the  sentence  ;  the  form  was  probably  determined  by 
a  word  not  expressed  though  present  to  the  writer's  mind.  Ai 
once  does  not  mean  quickly,  suddenly,  without  delay,  but  all  U» 
gotber,  indisciiminately,  in  confusion. 


I6Q  PSALM  LXXIV. 

7.  They  have  set  on  fire  thy  holy  place  ;  to  the  earth  they  havt 
profaned  the  dwelling  of  thy  name.  The  literal  translation  of  the 
first  clause  is,  they  have  sent  (or  cast)  into  the  fire  thy  holy  place. 
The  construction  in  the  last  clause  is  a  pregnant  one,  profaned  to 
the  earthy  i.  e.  profaned  by  casting  to  the  ground  a  sacred  edifice 
This  form  of  expression  would  be  inappropriate  to  mere  profana 
tion  bj  defilement,  without  actual  prostration  of  the  edifice  itself. 

8.  Theii  have  said  in  their  hearty  let  us  destroy  them  together 
(or  at  once) ;  they  have  burned  all  the  assemblies  of  God  in  the 
land,  by  burning  the  only  place  where  such  assemblies  could  be 
held  (Deut.  xii.  5,  11.)  Others,  with  less  probability,  suppose 
that  the  Hebrew  word  itself  denotes  the  place  of  assembly,  and 
that  all  such  places  means  the  only  such  place.  The  translation 
synagogues  has  no  authority  from  Hebrew  usage,  or  the  ancient 
versions  (LXX.  koQTdg  Vulg.  dies  festos.  Jer.  soleimitates)^  and 
has  been  abused  to  prove  that  the  psalm  was  written  after  the 
Babylonish  exile,  before  which  synagogues  are  commonly  sup- 
posed to  have  had  no  existence. 

9.  Our  signs  we  see  not;  there  is  no  more  {any)  prophet ^  and. 
(there  is)  not  with  us  (any  one)  knowing  untU  what  time,  or  how 
long^  these  things  are  to  last.  By  signs  we  are  here  to  under- 
stand the  tokens  of  God's  presence  and  of  Israel's  peculiar  lela- 
tion  to  him.  One  of  these  is  then  specified,  to  wit,  the  gift  of 
prophecy,  which  seemed  to  cease  at  the  time  of  the  Babylonian 
conquest,  although  afterwards  renewed.  Even  Jeremiah's  ministry 
may  be  considered  as  then  closing.  The  complaint  of  this,  as  of 
a  recent  loss,  shows  that  the  period  meant  is  not  that  of  the  per- 
secutions under  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  when  the  gift  of  prophecy 
had  been  withdrawn  for  many  generations. 

D.  Till  when,  oh  God,  shall  the  foe  revile,  the  enemy  contemn 
<H  lUimc  forever  ?     By  making  the  last  clause  a  distinct  interro- 


PSALM    LXXIV.  if^y 

gation  {shall  the  enemy  despise  thy  name  forever  ?)  we  avoid  tbo 
solecism  of  combining  how  long  and  forever  •  but  this  can  oc- 
casion no  more  difficulty  here  than  in  v.  1  and  in  Ps.  xiii.  2  (1.) 
The  verb  in  the  last  clause  means  to  treat  contemptuously,  to 
show  contempt  by  word  or  deed.  Blaspheme  expresses  only  one 
mode  of  doing  this,  and  that  too  strongly. 

11.  Why  wilt  thou  withdraw  thy  hand  and  thy  right  hand  1 
From  the  midst  of  thy  hosom  (draw  it  and)  consume  (them.)  Tho 
future  here  includes  the  present  {why  dost  thou  withdraw  thy 
hand?)  with  the  additional  idea  of  continuance  or  perseverance  in 
so  doing.  The  hand,  and  especially  the  right  hand,  is  the  seai 
and  symbol  of  strength.  The  aiid  between  them  is  equivalent  to 
the  English  even.  To  make  the  hand  return,  or  draw  it  back,  is 
to  cease  from  action,  the  continuance  of  which  cessation  is  do 
scribed  as  hiding  it  in  the  bosom. 

12.  And  God  (is)  my  king  of  old,  working  salvations  in  mt 
midst  of  the  land.  Having  pleaded  the  greatness  of  the  dangei 
and  distress,  as  a  reason  for  imploring  the  divine  interposition, 
the  church  now  pleads  her  covenant  relation  to  him  as  her  Sove- 
reign and  her  Saviour  in  former  emergencies,  with  particidar 
reference  to  the  plagues  of  Egypt,  which  makes  it  probable  that 
land  and  not  earth  is  the  true  translation  of  the  last  word.  The 
very  form  of  expression  is  borrowed  from  the  narrative  of  Moses. 
See  Ex.  viii.  18  (22.)  Doing,  working,  as  opposed  to  a  mere 
promise  or  prediction.  The  participle  signifies  continued  action, 
and  extends  the  description  beyond  the  particular  occasion  speci- 
ally referred  to.  God  is  described  as  He  who,  then  and  ever, 
works  salvations  or  deliverances,  the  plural  form  implying  fulness 
and  variety.  See  above,  on  Ps  xviii.  51  (50.)  xxviii.  8.  xlii. 
6,  12(5,  11.)  xliii.  5.  liii.  7. 

13.  Thou  hast  burst,  with  thy  strength,  the  sea  ;  thou  hast  bro^ 

VOL.    II.  8 


170  PSALM    LXXJV. 

ken  the  heads  of  dragons  on  the  loater.  The  word  translated 
dragons  is  applioct  to  the  largest  class  of  aquatic  animals.  Some 
suppose  these  to  be  here  emblematic  of  Egypt  and  other  hostile 
powers,  as  in  Ez.  xxix.  3,  4.  Isai.  li.  9,  10.  Others,  with  more 
probability,  explain  the  verse  as  a  description  of  God's  power  over 
nature,  aud  part'cularly  over  the  sea,  as  specially  manifested  in 
the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea.  The  dragons  or  sea-monsters  are 
then  added  merely  to  complete  the  picture.  As  if  he  had  said, 
*  thou  hast  subdued  and  crushed  the  sea  and  its  most  terrible  in- 
habitants.' This  is  described  as  taking  place,  not  zti  or  under  the 
waters^  the  abode  of  the  sea-monsters,  but  on  the  surface,  where 
the  contest  becomes  visible.  The  pronoun  at  the  beginning  is 
emphatic  :  '  it  is  thou  that  hast  done  all  this,  and  not  another.' 

14.  (It  is)  than  (that)  hast  crushed  the  heads  of  Leviathan, 
(that)  wilt  give  him  (as)  food  to  the  people^  to  the  wild  men^  or 
the  dwellers  in  the  desert.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  9.  Leviathan^ 
according  to  its  etymology,  denotes  a  coiled  or  crooked  serpent, 
but  like  dragon  in  v.  13,  is  used  as  a  generic  term  for  huge 
aquatic  animals.  Having  no  plural  form,  it  is  here  used  in  a 
collective  sense,  as  appears  from  the  expression  heads^  unless  we^ 
understand  this  as  denoting  a  many-headed  monster,  to  which, 
however,  there  is  no  analogy  in  Scripture.  In  the  last  clause, 
people  seems  to  mean  men  in  general,  and  is  then  rendered  defi- 
nite by  the  use  of  the  specific  term  which  follows.  By  the  people 
of  the  desert  some  understand  the  savage  beasts,  by  whom  the 
Egyptians  were  devoured  after  the  overthrow  of  Pharaoh  ;  others, 
with  more  probability,  the  wild  men  living  on  the  shores  of  the 
Red  Sea,  and  subsisting  on  its  fish,  and  hence  called  by  the  Greeka 
the  Ichthyophagi.  The  transition  from  the  past  tense  to  the  future 
seems  to  represent  the  scene  as  actually  passing,  or  the  act  as  one 
that  may  be  frequently  repeated.  '  It  is  thou  that  hast  done  all 
this  and  wilt  do  it  again.' 


PSALM    LXXVV.  171 

15.  (It  is)  thou  (that)  didst  cleave  fount  andjlood^  (that)  did%i 
dry  up  rivers  ever-Jlowing.  Fountain  and  flood  is  a  kind  of  pro- 
verbial expression  for  smaller  and  greater  bodies  of  water.  The 
primary  historical  allusion  here  is  to  the  passage  of  the  Jordan. 
The  original  construction  of  the  last  phrase  is  streams  of  perpetuity  ^ 
perennial  or  unfailing  streams,  as  distinguished  from  the  winter 
torrents  of  the  Holy  Land,  which  disappear  in  summer.  The 
common  version,  rivers  of  strength  or  might'i^  rivers^  is  not  sus- 
tained by  etymology  or  usage. 

16.  To  thee  (belongs)  day^  yea^  to  thee  night ;  thou  hast  pre- 
pared light  and  sun.  From  the  mention  of  God's  actual  control 
over  the  elements,  as  exercised  in  certain  memorable  cases,  the 
Psalmist  here  proceeds  to  assert  his  sovereignty  by  right  of  crea- 
tion. Not  only  day  but  night,  which  seems  to  sense  beyond  the 
reach  of  government  or  regulation,  is  subject  to  God's  power 
Thou.,  and  no  other,  as  in  the  three  preceding  verses.  Prepared 
for  the  place  which  they  now  fill  and  the  work  which  they  per- 
form. Light  and  sun  are  related  as  the  genus  and  the  species, 
like  hand  and  right  hand  in  v.  11,  signs  and  prophet  in  v.  9. 
Light.,  in  the  local  sense  of  luminary,  which  the  same  Llebrew 
word  has  in  Gen.  i.  14 — 16, 

17.  Thou  hast  set  (or  established)  all  the  bounds  of  earth  ;  sum- 
mer and  winter — thou  hast  formed  them.  This  is  the  seventh 
emphatic  repetition  of  the  pronoun  thou.  The  bounds  of  earth 
are  supposed  by  some  to  be  the  limits  of  the  land,  by  which  it  is 
separated  from  the  sea.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxir.  2.  The  de- 
scription of  God's  power  over  nature  is  comple:ed  by  referring  to 
it  the  revolution  of  the  seasons  as  not  only  appointed  but  created 
^7  him.  He  is  not  only  the  ordainer  of  the  change  itself,  but  the 
author  of  the  causes  which  produce  it. 

18.  Kemember  this  j-  an  enemy  has  reviled  Jehovah^  and  a  fooJ- 


172  PSALM    LXX:iV. 

tsh  people  huve  coiitemned  thy  name.  For  the  meaning  of  the  verbs 
see  above,  on  v.  10,  where  the  same  facts  are  alleged,  but  are 
here  recalled  to  God's  remembrance  as  a  leason  for  his  interpo- 
sition. Jehovah  may  also  be  construed  as  a  vocative,  which 
makes  the  parallelism  more  exact.  Foolish^  in  the  strong  sense 
of  that  word,  as  used  in  Scripture,  to  denote  the  irrationality  of 
Bin.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  1,  and  compare  Deut.  xxxii.  6,  from 
which  place  the  whole  phrase  is  borrowed. 

19.  Give  not  to  the  greedy  herd  thy  turtle-doi:e  :  the  herd  of  thy 
afflicted  {one%)  forget  not  forever  I  The  general  import  of  this 
prayer  is  obvious,  and  the  only  doubtful  point  is  the  precise  sense 
of  the  word  (n;^n)  twice  translated  herd  above.  It  usually  means 
an  animal  or  living  thing,  and  more  especially  a  wild  beast,  as 
distinguished  from  domesticated  cattle.  This  would  yield  a  good 
sense  in  the  first  clause  (^greedy  beast)^  but  is  inadmissible  in  the 
other.  The  same  objection  lies  against  the  explanation  of  the 
first  as  meaning  life  and  the  last  as  meaning  flock.  The  only 
meaning  equally  admissible  in  both  parts  of  the  sentence  is  the 
one  just  mentioned,  that  of  animal  collectively,  and  then  a  flock 
or  herd  of  animals,  from  which  it  is  sometimes  transferred  to  hu^ 
man  subjects.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  11  (10.)  Greedy  herd, 
literally,  herd  of  appetite.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  12.  xli.  3  (2.) 
The  turtle-dove  is  here  used  as  an  emblem  of  innocence  and  help- 
lessness, as  well  as  an  expression  of  affectionate  endearment. 

20.  Look  to  the  covenant ;  for  filed  are  the  darknesses  of  earth 
with  homes  of  violence  (or  cruelty.)  The  prayer  in  the  first 
clause  is  equivalent  to  saying.  Remember  thy  promise,  fulfill  thy 
covenant  engagements.  The  reason  assigned  is,  that  the  existing 
state  of  things  is  such  as  to  require  this  fulfilment.  The  word 
translated  darknesses  has  the  form  of  a  local  noun,  and  may  there- 
fore mean  dark  places,  not  in  the  sense  of  hiding  places,  but  in 
that  of  gloomy  dismal  places.     The  same  idea,  of  distress  and 


PSALM    LXXIV.  179 

gloom,  which  is  always  included  in  the  sense  of  the  word 
elsewhere,  may  be  obtained  by  making  it  an  abstract,  darkTiess, 
or  supposing  the  plural  ft^rm  to  bo  emphatic,  profound  darkness 
not  as  an  attribute  of  certain  places,  but  of  the  whole  earth.  Aa 
if  he  had  said,  the  darkness  of  the  earthy  or  this  dark  world,  is 
tilled  with  homes  of  cruelty.  This  word  (c^n),  here  as  elsewhere, 
comprehends  the  two  ideas  of  injustice  and  violence.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  vii.  17  (16.)  xviii.  49  (48.)  The  use  of  the  word  homes 
(or  habitations)  indicates  that  violence  or  cruelty  is  there  domes- 
ticated, permanently  resident.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  13.  The 
meaning  of  the  whole  verse,  thus  explained,  is,  that  the  permanent 
establishment  and  prevalence  of  "  wrong  and  outrage"  in  the 
darkness  of  the  world  may  be  urged  as  a  reason  for  the  fulfilment 
of  God's  promise,  nay,  his  solemn  oath,  that  the  whole  earth  shall 
be  filled  with  his  glory  (Num.  xiv.  21.) 

21.  Let  not  the  oppressed  turn  back  confounded;  let  the  sufferer 
and  the  poor  (man)  praise  thy  name.  The  word  translated  op^ 
pressed  means  strictly  broken,  bruised,  or  crushed.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  ix.  10  (9.)  X.  IS.  T'urn  back,  abandon  his  pursuit,  retire 
in  despair.  Confounded,  disappointed,  put  to  shame,  by  the 
frustration  of  his  hopes  and  wishes.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  4. 
xl.  15  (14.)  Ixix.  7  (6.)  Ixx.  3  (2.) 

22.  Arise,  oh  God  !  Plead  thine  own  cause  !  Remember  thy 
reviling  by  the  fool  all  day  !  The  first  prayer  is  the  common  one, 
that  God  would  put  an  end  to  his  apparent  inaction  and  indiiFer- 
ence  to  the  sufferings  of  his  servants.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii. 
S  (7.)  vii.  7  (6.)  ix.  20  (19.)  x.  12.  xvii.  13.  xxxv.  2.  xliv.  27 
(26.)  Plead  thine  own  cause,  literally,  strive  thy  strife.  Sec 
above,  on  Ps  xliii.  1.  'Remember  how  thou  art  reviled  by 
the  irrational  transgressor,  and  arouse  thyself  to  silence  his  re* 
preaches  ' 


174  PSALM    LXXIT. 

23.  Forget  not  the  roict  of  thy  foes ^  the  noise  of  thy  assadanti^ 
ascendine^  cdways.  The  voice  and  noise  here  meant  are  the 
clamorous  revilin;r;  and  blasphemies  of  wicked  men,  eontinnally 
goin^  up  into  the  ears  of  God,  and  calling  down  his  wrath  upon 
them.  This  striking  figure,  representing  gross  sin  as  a  vocal  and 
ludihle  witness  aorainst  him  who  commits  it,  is  a  common  one  in 
Scripture  from  the  earliest  books  downwards.  See  Gen.  iv.  10. 
xviii.  21.  xix.  13,  and  compare  Jon.  i.  2.  Thy  assailants j  or  more 
literally,  thy  insurgents,  those  who  rise  up  against  thee,  in  the 
way  not  only  of  attack  but  of  rebellion.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  2 
(1.)  xviii.  40,  49  (39,  48.)  xliv.  6  (5),  and  compare  Ex.  xv.  7. 
Deut.  xxxiii.  11.2  Sam.  xxii.  49.  All  thb  the  Psalmbt,  or  rather 
the  Church,  in  whose  behalf  he  speaks,  recalls  to  the  divine  re- 
membrance, as  a  crround  or  reason  for  immediate  interference. 


PSALM    LXXY. 

..  To  the  Chief  Musician.  Al4ashheth.  A  Psalm  hy  JtapA 
A  song  (of  praise.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  1.  In  this  psalm 
the  ancient  church  expresses  a  confident  anticipation  of  divine 
assistance  and  deliverance  from  the  domination  of  some  great 
hostile  power,  the  catastrophe  of  which  is  here  foretold.  The 
immediate  historical  occasion  we  have  no  direct  means  of  de- 
termining ;  but  the  one  to  which  the  psalm  itself  seems  most 
appropriate  is  the  destruction  of  the  Assyrian  host  in  the  reifm 
of  Hezckiah.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  1,  and  below,  on  Ps. 
Ixxvi.  1,  and  compare  Isai.  xxxvi  ami  xxxvii.  That  the  psalm  haa 
reference  to  a  period  of  imminent  and  extraordinary  danger,  is 


PSALM    LXXV.  175 

moreover  indicated  bj  the  phrase  al-tashheth^  or  destroy  not.    Sea 
above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  1. 

2  (1.)  We  give  thanks  to  thee,  oh  God^  ue  give  thanks  ;  and 
near  (is)  thy  name  ;  they  recount  thy  wonders.  The  thanksgiviiicr 
is  in  anticipation  of  some  great  event,  and  implies  a  strong  faith 
in  the  certainty  of  its  occurrence.  Thy  name  is  near^  a  signal 
manifestation  of  thine  attributes  is  just  at  hand,  so  that  men  begin 
already  to  recount  thy  wondrous  works,  as  if  actually  past.  Or 
this  may  mean  that  they  recount  God's  former  dealings  with 
them,  as  a  reason  for  expecting  like  or  greater  things  to  come. 
Another  construction  of  the  last  clause,  perhaps  still  more 
natural,  is  that  adopted  in  the  English  Bible  :  thy  name  is  near, 
thy  wondrous  works  declare.  For  the  sense  and  usage  of  the  last 
word  in  Hebrew,  see  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  2  (1.)  xxvi.  7.  xl.  6  (5.) 
Ixxi.  17. 

3  (2.)  For  I  will  take  a  set  time;  I  will  equitably  judge. 
The  best  interpreters  are  now  in  favour  of  explaining  these  aa 
the  words  of  God  himself,  containing  the  promise  upon  which  was 
built  the  hope  expressed  in  the  preceding  verse.  Take  then  in- 
cludes the  two  ideas  of  choosing  and  using  for  the  end  proposed. 
The  word  translated  set  time  is  the  same  that  means  assembly  in 
Ps.  Ixxiv.  4,  8.  The  idea  of  constituted  time,  which  is  included 
even  there,  is  here  predominant.  The  same  use  of  the  word  oc- 
curs in  Ps.  cii.  14  (13.)  Hab.  ii.  3.  Dan.  viii.  19.  xi.  27,  35.  There 
is  here  an  obvious  allusion  to  the  stated  times  at  which  justice  is 
publicly  administered.  Compare  Acts  xix.  38.  As  if  he  had 
said,  1  will  appoint  a  time,  and  when  it  comes,  I  will  ascend  the 
judgment-seat.  The  parties  to  be  tried  are  the  foes  and  oppres- 
sors of  God's  people.  The  pronoun  is  emphatic  ;  I,  and  no 
other,  will  be  judge.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  6.  Equitably,  liter- 
ally, equities  or  rectitudes.  See  above  on  Ps.  xvii.  2.  Iviii  2(1.) 
The  use  of  the  plural,  as  an  abstract,  and  that  of  the  noun  ic 


176  PSALM   LXXV. 

an  adverbial  sense,  are  both  familiar  Hebrew  idioms.     The  judg 
ino-  of  the  wicked  at  God's  bar  implies  tlieir  condemnation,  andj 
as  a  necessary  consequence,  the  deliverance  of  those  whom  they 
oppress  or  injure. 

4  (3.)  Melted  (are)  the  earth  and  all  dwelling  on  it;  I  havi 
weighed  the  pillars  of  it.  Selah.  Dissolved  with  fear,  enfeebled, 
or  reduced  to  nothing.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  7  (6.)  The 
figure  in  the  last  clause  is  obscure.  The  act  of  weighing  may  be 
intended  to  suggest  that  of  raising,  bearing  up.  Compare  Isai 
xl.  12,  13,  15.  Some  suppose,  however,  that  it  means  to  mea- 
sure, estimate,  or  value,  and  implies  not  only  perfect  knowledge 
but  creative  power.  As  a  part  of  the  promise  or  encouraging 
assurance  begun  in  the  preceding  verse,  the  one  before  us  must 
mean  that  God  himself  will  prevent  or  rectify  the  evils  caused  or 
threatened  by  his  enemies. 

5  (4.)  /  said  to  the  boasters.  Boast  not,  and  to  the  wiclced.  Lift 
not  up  the  horn !  Some  regard  these  as  the  words  of  the  psalm- 
ist, speaking  again  in  the  person  of  the  church.  The  sense  will 
then  be  that,  encouraged  by  God's  promise  of  protection  and  de- 
liverance, his  people  warn  their  adversaries  not  to  triumph.  li 
seems  more  natural,  however,  to  explain  them  as  a  continuation 
of  the  words  of  God  himself,  whose  very  assurance  of  protection 
to  his  people  was  in  fact  a  warning  of  destruction  to  his  enemies. 
The  objection,  that  what  follows  must  then  be  referred  to  the 
same  speaker,  is  of  little  weight,  as  the  transition  from  one  per- 
son to  another,  in  the  psalms  of  a  dramatic  structure,  is  not  com- 
monly  a  marked  one,  and  is  often  quite  insensible.  The  conclud- 
ing metaphor  is  borrowed  from  the  habits  of  horned  animals,  and 
nearly  equivalent  to  the  act  of  holding  the  head  high,  as  a  sigu 
of  human  pride.  For  a  different  application  of  the  figure,  see 
ubove,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.) 


PSALM    LXXV.  177 

6  (5.)  l>o  not  raise  on  high  your  horn  (and)  speak  with  a  proud 
tibckj  or  speak  with  (outstretched)  neck  proudly.  The  last  word 
is  an  adjective  meaning  insolent  or  arrogant.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxxi.  19  (IS.)  It  may  either  agree  with  neck,  and  signify  a 
position  and  cariiage  of  the  neck  indicative  of  pride  (Ps.  Ixxiii.  6) 
or  constitute  the  object  of  the  verb,  in  which  case  with  the  neck 
may  mean  with  outstretched  or  prolonged  neck,  not  projecting 
forwards  but  inclining  backwards.  See  Isai.  iii.  16,  and  compare 
Job  XV.  26  in  Hebrew.  For  a  similar  ellipsis,  see  below,  Ps 
Ixxvii.  16  (15.) 

7  (6.)  For  not  from  east,  and  (not)  fro7n  ivest,  and  not  from 
the  wilderness  of  mountaiv.s.,  is  the  judgment  on  these  sinners  to 
proceed,  but  from  a  very  different  quarter.  The  word  translated 
east  means  properly  the  sunrise,  or  rather  the  place  of  his  com- 
ing forth  ;  the  parallel  term  the  sunset,  or  the  place  of  evening. 
A  third  point  of  the  compass  is  denoted  by  the  ivilderness,  the 
great  Arabian  desert  lying  to  the  south  of  Palestine.  The  last 
word  in  Hebrew  (Q^IH)  admits  of  two  entirely  diflferent  explana- 
tions. One  of  these,  given  in  the  English  Bible,  makes  it  the  in- 
finitive of  the  verb  translated  raise  in  vs.  5,  6  (4,  5),  and  sup- 
poses it  to  mean  the  act  of  raising,  or  a  state  of  exaltation.  The 
sense  will  then  be  that  promotion  cometh  not  from  any  quarter 
upon  earth,  but  from  God  and  God  alone.  Others  object  that 
the  question  here  is  not  one  of  promotion  but  of  judgment,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  foregoing  and  the  following  context.  They 
accordingly  adhere  to  the  ancient  versions  in  making  (ti'^'ln)  the 
plural  of  the  common  Hebrew  word  for  hill  or  mountain,  and  ex- 
plain the  whole  phrase  to  mean  a  hilly  desert  or  a  nrilderness  of 
mountains,  a  description  eminently  applicable  to  Idumaea  and 
Arabia  Petraea,  The  essential  idea  is  still  that  of  the  south,  here 
added  to  the  east  and  west,  as  a  general  description  of  the 
countries  contiguous  to  Palestine.  The  south  is  mentioned  last, 
perhaps  for  the  sake  of  an  emphatic  reference  to  Egypt,  as  thg 

8* 


jryy  PSALM    LXXV. 

foreign  power,  on  which  the  Jews  were  supposed  by  the  Assyrians 
to  rely  with  special  confidence.  Compare  Isai.  xxxvi.  4 — 6. 
The  omission  of  the  no?-lk  may  either  be  fortuitous  or  (as  some 
6uppo?e)  intended  to  suggest  that  this  was  the  quarter  fiom 
which  the  hostile  incursion  had  proceeded,  as  it  was  in  fact,  in- 
vaders even  from  the  furthest  east  commonly  entering  the  coun- 
try from  that  side.  The  meaning  of  the  whole  verse  then  is  that 
the  dano-er  which  impended  from  one  quarter  could  not  be  averted 
by  mere  human  aid  from  any  other,  but  only  by  the  means  re- 
ferred to  in  the  next  verse. 

8  (7.)  For  God  (i^)  judge  (or  SiGtnallj  jiodging  ;)  this  (one)  he 
will  humble,  and  this  {one)  will  exalt.  The  for  at  the  beginning 
introduces  the  reason  of  the  negative  statement  in  the  verse  pre- 
ceding. It  is  not  man,  for  it  is  God,  who  can  perform  this. 
The  same  relation  of  the  sentences  is  commonly  expressed  in  our 
idiom  by  hut.  The  act  of  judging,  or  the  ofl&ce  of  a  judge,  here 
implies  absolute  sovereignty.  This  and  this  is  the  idiomatic 
Hebrew  phrase  answering  to  one  and  another  in  English.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xx.  8  (7.) 

9  (8.)  For  a  cup  (is)  in  the  hand  of  Jehovah.,  and  the  wine 
ferments.^  and  it  is  full  of  mixture,  and  he  pours  out  from  this 
{cup)  ;  only  its  dregs  shall  they  wring  (or  suck)  out,  shall  they 
drink — all  the  wicked  of  the  earth  (or  land.)  This  is  a  common 
figure  in  the  Scriptures  for  the  wrath  of  God.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xi.  6. 
The  cup  contains  the  prescribed  or  allotted  portion  of  the  sinner  to 

'whom  it  is  administered.  Ferments  or  hasferviented,  implying  that 
it  is  real  wine  and  strong  wine.  The  ti-anslation  it  is  red  is  now  sup- 
posed to  rest  upon  a  doubtful  etymology.  Some  interpreters  ex- 
plain the  phrase,  it  foams  with  wine  ;  but  this  construction  is  not 
only  in  itself  less  simple,  but  puts  a  sense  upon  the  verb  not  en- 
tirely authorized  by  usage,  and  requires  the  noun  (013)  cup,  which 
is  elsewhere  feminine,  to  be  construed  as  a  masculine.     It  (the 


PSALM    LXXV.  I7CJ 

wine)  is  full  of  mixture^  i.  e.  mixed  with  spices  to  increase  its 
strength  and  stimulating  power.  Only  its  dregs  is  an  idiomatic 
Hebrew  j^rase,  which  does  not  mean,  as  it  may  seem  to  do  in 
English,  that  thej  shall  drink  nothing  but  the  dregs.  The  mean- 
ing rather  is,  that  they  shall  have  nothing  left  for  it,  no  resource. 
or  no  alteinative,  except  to  drain  the  cup  to  the  very  dregs,  i.  e. 
to  suffer  God's  wrath  to  the  uttermost  (1  Thess.  ii.  16.)  Tho 
position  given  to  the  subject  of  the  sentence  at  its  close  makes  it 
more  emphatic.     See  above  on  Ps.  xl.  15  (14.) 

10  (9.)  And  I  will  declare  forever^  I  will  sing  praise  to  the  God 
of  Jacob.  The  emphatic  pronoun  puts  him  in  opposition  to  the 
wicked  of  the  earth  or  land.  '  While  they  are  thus  destroyed,  I 
will  declare'  etc.  The  object  of  the  verb  in  the  first  clause  is 
determined  by  the  second.  Sing  praise.,  make  music,  as  a  means 
of  celebrating  the  divine  praise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  12  (11.) 
txx.  5  (4.)  xlvii.  7  (6.)  Ixvi.  4.  To  the  God  of  Jacob.,  to  him 
who  has  proved  himself  to  be  such,  by  fulfilling  the  promise  made 
3f  old  to  Israel.  The  personal  name  of  the  patriarch  is  poetically 
aub.stituted  for  the  one  which  properly  belonged  to  him  as  founder 
5f  the  nation.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  6. 

11  (10.)  And  all  horns  of  wicked  ones  will  I  cut  off ;  lifted  up 
shall  be  the  horns  of  the  righteous.  The  same  noun  and  verb,  that 
were  used  in  vs.  5,  6  f4,  5),  to  denote  the  self-exaltation  of  the 
wicked,  are  here  used  in  a  good  sense  to  denote  God's  gracious 
exaltation  of  the  righteous.  Compare  Matth.  xxiii.  12.  Luke 
xiv.  11.  xviii.  14.  In  the  first  clause,  to  the  simple  correlative 
idea  of  humiliation  is  superadded  that  of  violent  destruction. 
While  the  horns  of  the  righteous  are  to  be  exalted,  those  of  the 
wicked  are  not  only  to  be  lowered  but  cut  off.  The  change  from 
the  plural  (wicked  men)  to  the  singular  (a  righteous  man),  ii 
meant  to  be  significant  at  all,  may  have  reference  to  the  speaker 
as  an  ideal  individual.     The  construction  of  these  words  as  those 


j^O  PSALM   LXX\?I. 

of  God  himself  is  a  gratuitous  and  harsh  one.  They  are  lathet 

uttered  by  the   Church,  as  representing  him,  or  acting   m  his 
strength  and  under  his  authority.  ^ 


PSALM     L  X  X  V 1 


1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  With  (or  on)  stringed  instr\.rn.fnts. 
A  Psalm  by  Asaph.  A  song  (of  praise.)  The  reserabhince  of 
this  title  to  that  of  the  preceding  psalm,  their  juxtaposition  in  the 
Psalter,  and  their  internal  similarity,  all  favour  the  opinion  that 
they  had  respect  originally  to  the  same  historical  occasion,  with 
this  diflference,  that  the  first  is  rather  an  anticipation  of  the  great 
deliverance  as  certain  but  still  future,  and  the  other  a  commemo- 
ration of  the  same  as  actually  past  or  really  experienced.  In  this, 
as  in  the  other  case,  the  event  is  ascribed  to  a  wonderful  divine 
interposition,  and  described  as  one  affecting  the  whole  world  or 
fthe  nations  generally,  which  was  emphatically  true  of  the  great 
stroke,  by  which  the  power  of  Assyria  was  broken. 

2.  (1.)  Knoivn  in  Judah  (is)  God  ;  in  Israel  great  {is)  his  name. 
Known  as  God,  and  as  the  God  of  Israel,  his  chosen  people,  which, 
after  the  great  schism  in  the  time  of  Rehoboam,  continued  to  exist 
in  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  It  was  only  in  the  ancient  church  that 
Lis  name  was  fully  known,  his  perfections  clearly  manifested. 

3  (2.)  And  in  Salem  was  his  tabernacle,  and  his  home  in  Zion 
This  is  explanatory  of  the  first  verse.  He  was  best  known  there 
because  it  was  his  chosen  earthly  residence.  Salem  is  evidently 
used  poetically  for  Jerusalem.     The  former  name  means  peaceful 


PSALM    LXXVI.  181 

and  secure,  and  some  suppose  it  to  be  one  of  the  elements  of 
which  the  other  name  is  composed,  so  as  to  signify  a  peaceful  or 
secure  possession.  The  same  interpreters  identify  the  Sahm  of 
Gen.  xiv.  18  with  Jerusalem.  The  word  translated  tabernacle 
properly  means  a  booth  or  shed  composed  of  leaves  and  branches, 
in  allusion  to  the  moveable  and  temporary  form  of  the  first  sanc- 
tuary. 

4  (3.)  Thither  he  shattered  the  bolts  of  the  bow — buckler  arui 
sword  and  battle.  Selah.  Some  translate  the  first  word  there, 
but  there  is  no  clear  instance  of  the  Hebrew  adverb  being  so  used, 
and  the  best  interpreters  suppose  the  sense  to  be,  that  he  destroyed 
them  on  their  way  there,  while  in  motion  towards  the  Holy  City. 
The  word  ("13"^)  translated  shattered  is  an  intensive  species  of  the 
common  verb  (n:5-)  to  break.  Both  forms  occur  together  in  Ps. 
xxix.  5.  See  also  Ps.  iii.  8  (7.)  The  ambiguous  word  bolts  is 
used  td*represent  a  Hebrew  one,  which  properly  means  thunder- 
bolts or  flashes  of  lightning,  but  is  here  applied  to  the  flight  of 
arrows,  with  or  without  allusion  to  the  practice  of  igniting  them 
(Eph.  vi.  16.)  To  the  shield  and  sword,  as  the  most  important 
pieces  of  defensive  and  offensive  armour,  he  adds,  by  a  bold  and 
striking  figure,  war  itself,  perhaps  as  a  residuary  aggregate  of  all 
other  arms  and  weapons. 

5  (4.)  Bright  (art)  thou ,  glorious,  more  than  the  mountains  of 
prey.  The  object  of  address  is  God,  who  had  been  previously 
spoken  of,  in  the  third  person.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a 
participle,  meaning  illuminated,  made  to  shine,  and  therefore  bear- 
ing some  affinity  to  our  word  illustrious.  The  other  epithet  means 
grand,  glorious,  sublime.  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  1.  The  com- 
mon version  (excellent)  seems  to  restrict  the  praise  to  morai 
qualities.  As  mountains  are  standing  symbols  of  states  and  king 
doms,  mountains  of  prey,  i.  e.  mountains  occupied  by  robbers, 
may  denote  oppressive  powers,  such  as  that  of  Assyria,  tc  whicij 


182  PSALM    LXXVI. 

the  Prophets  apply  simihir  descriptions.  See  Nah.  ii.  11,  12. 
iii.  1.  To  all  such  hostile  powers  God  is  here  represented  as 
superior. 

6  (5.)  Spoiled  ore  the  stout  of  heart  ;  zhey  have  slept  thci'i 
si  Sep  ;  and  all  the  men  of  might  have  not  found  their  hands.  Tlic 
moaning  of  the  first  clause  seems  to  be,  that  the  spoilers  are  iheiu- 
selves  spoiled,  by  a  signal  providential  retribution.  Some,  how- 
ever, explain  the  first  word  to  mean  snatched  away^  caused  to 
disappear  or  vanish.  They  have  slept  their  own  sleep,  i.  e.  they, 
like  others,  in  their  turn,  sleep  the  sleep  of  death.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xiii.  4  (3),  and  compare  Nah,  iii.  18.  2  Kings  xix.  35 
Stout  of  heart  suggests  the  two  distinct  ideas,  courageous  and 
hard-hearted.  The  same  expression  is  used,  in  an  unfavourable 
sense,  by  Isaiah  (xlvi.  12.)  All  have  not  found  does  not  imply 
that  some  have  found,  but  on  the  contrary,  that  none  have  found, 
or  in  other  words  that  the  negative  poposition  is  true  of  all  with- 
out exception.  Found  their  hands  is  understood  by  some  to  mean 
regained  their  strength.  But  the  direct  sense  of  the  words  is,  that 
they  have  not  found  the  use  of  their  hands,  or  been  able  to  em- 
ploy them  with  advantage. 

7  (6.)  At  thy  rehuJx-e,  oh  God  of  Jacob,  put  to  sleep  (is)  both 
chariot  and  horse.  The  particle  at  the  beginning  is  both  temporal 
and  causal,  post  hoc  et  propter  hoc.  After  and  because  of  thy 
rebuke.  This  noun  denotes  not  merely  a  verbal  but  a  real  or 
practical  expression  of  the  divine  displeasure.  See  above,  on  Ps 
-ix.  6  (5.)  Ixviii.  31  (30.)  God  of  Jacob,  see  above,  on  v.  10  (9.) 
Put  to  sleep  is  here  used  to  translate  a  passive  participle,  denoting 
not  a  mere  state  or  condition,  but  the  violence  by  which  it  is  pro- 
duced. The  sleep  meant  is  of  course  the  sleep  of  death.  Tho 
application  of  this  figure  to  the  chariot  as  well  as  to  the  horse, 
18  less  paradoxical  in  Hebrew,  where  the  noun  used  is  sometimes 
a  collective  meaning  cavalry.     See  my  note  on  Isaiah  xxi   7. 


PSALM    LXXVT  183 

A.t  the  same  time,  there  is  b(iauty  in   the  figure,  as  suggestnig 
that  the  noisy  rattle  of  the  wheels  is  hushed  in  death-like  silence. 

8  (7.)  Thou  (art)  to  he  feared^  (even)  thou.,  and  ivho  shall 
std'od  before  thee,  when  once  thou  art  angry  ?  The  Hebrew  pas- 
sive participle  often  has  the  force  of  the  future  passive  or  irerun- 
dive  in  Latin.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  4  (3.)  The  repetition 
of  the  pronoun  makes  it  highly  emphatic  and  even  exclusive, 
thou  and  no  other,  thou  and  only  thou.  Who  shall  standi  in- 
cludes the  kindred  question,  who  may  or  can  standi  To  stand 
before  God  means,  in  this  connection,  to  stand  one's  ground  in 
opposition  to  him,  or  in  independence  of  him.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  i,  5.  The  common  version  of  the  last  words,  which  is  re- 
tained above,  conveys  correctly  the  idea,  but  without  the  peculiar 
form  of  the  original,  which  is  highly  idiomatic,  and  not  susceptible 
of  literal  translation.  The  last  woi-d  strictly  means  thy  anger  and 
the  one  before  it  from  then  or  from  that  time.  The  nearest  ap- 
proach to  it  in  English  would  be  since  thy  anger.,  a  construction 
which  is  actually  given  in  the  latest  German  versions. 

9  (8.)  From  heaven  thou  hast  caused  judgment  to  he  heard;  thi 
tarth  feared  and  rested.,  or,  the  earth  loas  afraid  and  was  still. 
From  his  throne  in  heaven  God  had  pronounced  judgment  on  his 
wicked  enemies,  the  sound  of  which  had  struck  the  dwellers  upon 
earth  with  awe  and  calmed  their  tumult.  The  last  Hebrew  verb 
is  especially  applied  to  repose  after  the  noise  and  agitation  of 
war.     See  Josh.  xiv.  15.   Judg.  v.  31.  Isai.  xiv  7. 

10  (9.)  In  God''s  arising  for  the  judgment.,  to  save  all  tht 
humhh  of  the  earth.  This  completes  the  sentence  begun  in  the 
preceding  verse,  by  assigning  the  date,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
3ause,  of  the  effect  there  recorded.  The  earth  was  awe-struck 
ind  reduced  to  silence  when  God  arose  to  judgment,  i.  e.  to  act 
\s  judge  or  sovereign  arbiter.     In  the  last  clause,  as  in  many 


f84  PSALM   LXXVI. 

other  places,  the  judgments  of  God  upon  his  enemies  are  repre- 
Bented  as  occasions  of  deliverance  to  his  people,  here  described 
by  one  of  their  characteristic  qualities,  not  merely  as  the  w,eek  in 
temper,  but  as  the  lowly  in  spirit,  the  humUe  in  the  strong  reli- 
gious sense.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  13  (12.)  x.  12, 17.  xxii.  27  (26.) 
XXV.  9.  xxxiv.  3  (2.)  xxxvii.  11.  Ixix.  33  (32.)  The  last  word  in 
the  verse  has  here  a  kind  of  double  sense,  since  the  promise  made 
directly  to  the  humhle  of  the  land^  i.  e.  the  spiritual  Israel,  was 
really  intended  to  include  all  the  humhle  of  the  earth,  i.  e.  all  the 
truly  pious,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles. 

11  (10.)  For  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  inee  (or  acknow- 
ledge thee)  ;  the  remainder  of  wraths  thou  shalt  gird  (about  thee.) 
The  very  passions  which  excite  men  to  rebel  against  God  shall 
be  used  as  instruments  and  means  of  coercion.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxxii.  9.  And  so  complete  shall  be  this  process,  that  even 
the  remnant  of  such  passionate  excitement,  which  might  be  ex- 
pected to  escape  attention,  will  be  nevertheless  an  instrument 
or  weapon  in  the  hands  of  God.  This  last  idea  is  expressed  by 
the  figure  of  a  girdle,  here  considered  as  a  sword-belt.  So  too 
in  other  cases  the  verb  to  gird  is  absolutely  used  in  the  sense  of 
girding  on  a  sword,  or  the  still  more  general  one  of  arming  one's 
self.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  4  ('3),and  compare  Judg,  xviii.  11. 
]  Kings  XX.  11.2  Kings  iii.  21.  Others,  with  less  probability, 
suppose  the  figure  to  denote  the  act  of  attaching  to  one's  self,  as 
in  Ps.  cix.  19.  Isai.  xi.  5.  Jer.  xiii.  11,  and  apply  it  to  the  future 
conversion  of  all  remaining  enemies.  The  plural  in  the  last 
clause  {wraths  or  angers)  seems  to  be  an  emphatic  designation 
of  abundance  or  excess.     See  above,  on.  Ps.  xviii.  51  (50.) 

12  (11.)  Vow  and  pay  unto  Jehovah  your  God.,  all  (ye  that 
are)  round  about  him  ;  let  them  bring  tribute  to  the  Dread  ( One.) 
The  first  clause  may  be  understood  to  mean,  pay  now  what  you 
have  vowed  before,  i.  e.  before  the   great  deliverance  and  during 


PISALM    LXXVI.  Ig5 

the  impending  danger.  The  addition  of  your  God  shows  that 
the  object  of  address  is  Israel.  Compare  Deut,  xxiii.  2,2  (21.) 
Accoriing  to  the  masoretic  interpunction,  all  that  are  round  about 
him  belon;.s  to  the  first  clause,  and  denotes  the  host  of  Israel,  ia 
the  niidst  of  whom  Jehovah's  tent  was  pitched  (Num.  ii.  2.)  The 
English  Bible,  following  the  ancient  versions,  throws  these  words 
into  the  last  clause,  as  the  subject  of  the  verb  that  follows,  Ut  all 
that  are  round  about  him  bring  presents,  or  they  shall  bring 
presents.  This  last  word  in  Hebrew  denotes  tribute  from  the 
conquered  or  dependent  to  the  conqueror  or  sovereign.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  30  (29),  and  compare  Isai.  xviii.  7.  This 
was  literally  verified  in  the  case  of  Hezekiah's  rescue  from  the 
power  of  Sennacherib.  See  2  Chron.  xxxii.  23.  God  is  here 
called  Fear  or  Terror,  as  an  object  to  be  reverenced  or  dreaded. 
Compare  the  similar  expressions  in  Isaiah  viii.  12,  13. 

13  (12.)  He  cuts  off  the  spirit  of  princes ,  he  is  feared  (or  to  be 
feared)  by  the  kings  of  earth.  The  first  verb  is  speeially  applied 
to  the  pruning  or  cutting  of  vines.  See  Jer.  vi.  9.  xxv.  30.  xlix. 
9,  and  compare  Rev.  xiv.  18,  19.  Its  future  form  includes  a 
potential  sense.  He  can  do  it  when  he  will,  and  he  will  do  it 
when  he  sees  occasion.  Spirit  or  breath  is  here  put  for  the  life 
or  vital  principle,  to  cut  which  is  to  kill.  He  who  possesses  this 
alarming  power  is  or  ought  to  be  an  object  of  religious  fear,  not 
only  to  ordinary  men  or  to  certain  great  men  in  particular,  but 
to  all  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Compare  Matt.  x.  28.  Luke  xii. 
i).  These  expressions  show  that  the  historical  occasion  of  the 
psalm  was  not  an  event  of  merely  local  interest,  but  a  great  his- 
torical and  national  catastrophe,  such  as  the  blow  inflicted  on  th« 
power  of  Assyria  by  the  sudden  destruction  of  Sennacherib's  host 


I8fl  PSALM    LXXVl. 


PSALM   LXXVIT. 

1.  Tc  the  Chief  Musician  over  (tbe  choir  or  family  of)  J&dw 
thun.  By  Asaph.  A  Psalm.  For  the  meaning  of  this  title,  sec 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  1.  The  psalm  before  us  contains  a  complaint 
and  prayer  of  the  ancient  church  in  times  of  deep  distress.  It 
consists  of  two  parts.  In  the  first,  the  church  describes  her  sad 
condition  and  complains  of  God's  desertion,  vs.  2 — 10  (1 — 9.) 
In  the  second,  she  encourages  herself  by  the  remembrance  of 
former  deliverances,  and  especially  of  that  from  Egypt,  vs.  11 — 
21  (10 — 20.)  The  particular  historical  occasion  is  not  specified  ; 
but  if,  as  some  suppose,  it  be  the  crisis  of  affairs  in  the  reign  of 
Josiah,  the  name  Asaph  must  be  understood  as  a  description  of 
the  family,  and  not  of  its  progenitor.  See  above  on  Ps.  I.  1. 
There  are  several  obvious  imitations  of  this  psalm  in  the  third 
chapter  of  Habakkuk. 

2  yl  )  My  voice  unto  God  (1  V7ill  raise)  and  will  cry  ;  my  voice 
unto  God  (I  will  raise)  and  he  will  give  ear  to  me.  Some  make 
the  last  verb  an  imperative,  and  (when  1  raise  my  voice)  do  thou 
give  ear.  But  besides  the  sudden  change  of  person,  which,  though 
common,  is  not  to  be  assumed  without  necessity,  the  form  of  the 
Hebrew  verb  is  that  of  an  infinitive,  to  be  determined  by  assimi- 
lation to  the  one  before  it.  The  last  clause  then  really  assigns  a 
reason  for  the  purpose  expressed  in  the  first.  He  would  not  pray 
if  he  despaired  of  being  heard. 


PSALM    LXXVH.  187 

3  (2.)  In  the  day  of  my  distr.iss  the  Lord  I  sought  ;  my  hand 
by  night  teas  spread  and  grew  not  numb  ;  my  soul  refused  to  he 
comforted.  Day  is  here  put  for  time,  but  not  without  allusion  to 
the  mention  of  the  night  in  the  clause  following,  so  as  to  express 
the  idea  that  he  prayed  day  and  night.  The  verb  translated 
spread  means  strictly  spilt,  poured  out,  scattered,  but  seems  to  be 
here  poetically  applied  to  the  spreading  of  the  hands  as  a  cus- 
tomary gesture  of  entreaty.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  21  (20.) 
The  common  version,  my  sore  ran,  has  no  foundation  in  etymo- 
logy or  usage.  For  the  meaning  of  the  next  verb,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  xxxviii.  9  {8.)  Its  form  is  future,  but  the  copulative  particle, 
though  separated  from  it  by  the  negative,  may  be  considered  as 
exerting  a  conversive  force. 

4  (3.)  I  remember  God  and  murmur  ;  Imuse^  and  overivhelmed 
IS  my  spirit.  Selah.  The  recollection  of  God's  former  kindness, 
as  contrasted  with  what  seems  to  be  his  present  desertion,  extorts 
from  the  sufferer  an  expression  of  disquietude.  The  second  verb 
in  Hebrew  is  the  same  with  that  in  Ps.  xxxix.  7  (6.)  xlii.  6,  12 
(5,  11.)  Iv.  18  (17.)  My  spirit  is  not  simply  equivalent  to  my- 
self .^  but  suggests  the  additional  idea  of  profound  internal  agitation. 

5  (4.)  Thou  hast  held  fast  my  eyes  ;  I  am  smitten  and  cannot 
ipeak.  The  word  here  rendered /as^  is  properly  a  passive  par- 
ticiple meaning  watched.,  kept.,  and  here,  from  the  connection,  kept 
awake  or  open.  This  circumstance  is  added  to  enhance  the  dc- 
scj'iption  of  his  miserable  state. 

6  (5.)  I  thought  on  days  of  old ^  years  of  antiquities  {ov  perpe- 
tuities.) The  contrast  of  the  present  with  the  past  is  again  urged 
as  an  aggravating  circumstance  in  his  condition. 

7  (6.)  I  will  remember  my  song  in  the  night.,  with  my  heart  will 
I  muse,  and  my  spirit  inquires.     The  futures  of  the  first  clause 


188 


PSALM    LXXTII. 


have  reference  to  the  time  of  actual  suffering.  The  word  tranS* 
lated  son  "•  means  strictly  a  stringed  instrument^  or  that  kind  of 
music,  but  is  here  used  more  generally  to  denote  the  musical  ex- 
pression of  thanksgiving.  In  the  night  qualifies  the  words  imme- 
diately preceding  {my  song)*not  the  remoter  antecedent  (/  re- 
memher.)  With  my  hearty  i.  e.  in  communion  with  it,  with 
myself.  My  spirit  inquires^  i.  e.  I,  from  the  bottom  of  my  heart, 
ask  the  questions  recorded  in  the  following  verses. 

8  (7.)  For  ever  will  the  Lord  reject^  and  loill  he  no  more  favour  ? 
It  was  thus  that  the  spirit  of  the  sufferer  made  inquiry.  For  ever^ 
literally,  to  eternities  or  ages.  Reject^  with  abhorrence  and  con- 
tempt. See  above,  on  Ps.  xliii.  2.  xliv.  10,  24  (9,  23.)  Ix.  3,  12 
(2,  11.)  Ixxiv.  1.  The  idiomatic  form  of  the  last  clause  is,  will 
he  not  add  to  favour  again  (or  any  longer  ?) 

9  (8.)  Ceased  forever  has  his  mercy ^  failed  (his)  word  to 
generation  aTid  generation  ?  The  general  term  word  here  denotes 
specifically  a  word  of  promise.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  31  (30.) 
Generation  and  generation,  i.  e.  all  generations  in  succession,  are 
not  mentioned  as  the  objects  of  the  promise,  to  whom  God's  word 
was  pledged,  but  as  the  period  of  its  failure. 

10  (9.)  Has  the  Mighty  (One)  forgotten  to  be  gracious,  or  closed 
in,  wrath  his  mercies  1  Selah.  The  use  of  the  divine  name  El 
is  here  significant,  as  if  it  had  been  asked,  does  the  goodness  of 
God  no  longer  bear  proportion  to  his  greatness  }  The  verb  trans- 
lated closed  is  one  found  only  in  poetical  style.  The  original  ex- 
pression for  his  mercies  suggests  the  idea  of  his  towels,  according 
to  the  idiom  which  represents  the  viscera  as  the  seat  of  the  ten- 
derest  affections. 

11  (10.)  A'Jid  I  said ^  this  is  my  affliction,  the  years  of  the  right 
hand  of  the  Highest.     This  may  be  regarded  as  the  turning  point 


PSALM    LXXVIT.  Igg 

of  the  entire  composition.  After  all  the  repinings  and  misgivings 
just  described,  I  said,  at  length,  what  I  might  and  should  have 
said  before.  My  ajffliction^  literally,  my  %ickness^  that  specific  form 
of  suffering  being  put  for  suffering  in  general,  as  inflicted  by  the 
hand  of  God.  The  use  of  the  word  years  seems  to  imply  that 
the  trial  was  one  of  long  continuance.  The  divine  name  or  do- 
Bcription  {Most  High)  suggests  the  duty  and  necessity  of  yielding 
to  his  sovereign  pleasure. 

12  (11.)  I  will  comviemorate  the  deeds  of  Jah  ;  for  I  will  re- 
mcnibcr  thy  wonders  of  old.  The  forms  of  the  verb  in  the  two 
clauses  are  different  though  needlessly  assimilated  by  the  masoretic 
critics  and  the  versions.  The  second  is  the  primitive  verb  remem 
ler  ;  the  first  its  derivative,  cause  to  be  remembered,  commemo- 
rate, celebrate.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  last  words  is  from 
antiquity  thy  wonder^  a  collective  and  abstract  expression  for  thy 
wondrous  works.  For  the  origin  and  use  of  the  divine  name 
Jah,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  5  (4.) 

13  (12.)  And  I  will  meditate  of  all  thy  loork^  and  of  thy  doings 
will  I  muse.  The  original  expression  is  not  o/ but  in  them,  as  if 
implying  a  complete  absorption  of  the  thoughts  and  feelings  in  the 

object. 

-it 

14  (13.)  Oh  God.,  in  holiness  is  thy  way.  What  Mighty  [One) 
IS  great  like  God  ?  The  common  version,  in  the  sanctuary^  yields 
a  good  sense  ;  but  the  other  is  entitled  to  the  preference  on  ac- 
count of  Ex.  XV.  11,  to  which  place  there  is  evident  allusion. 
Holiness  here  means  the  divine  perfection,  all  that  distinguishes 
the  Maker  from  his  creatures.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  4  (3.) 
Thy  way.,  i.  e.  thy  mode  of  dealing  with  thy  creatures,  and  par- 
ticularly with  thy  people.  The  use  of  the  name  El  is  again  signi- 
ficant. Who  is  there  like  God,  even  among  the  mightiest  and 
most  exalted  beings  ? 


190  PSALM   LXXYJI 

15  (14.)  Thou  {art)  the  Almighty  doing  wonders;  thou  hast 
made  known  in  the  nations  thy  strength.  Thou  art  the  true  Al- 
mio-hty  as  distinguished  from  all  coxinterfeits.  Doing,  i.  e. 
habitually,  characteristically,  doing  wonders.  The  next  word  has 
the  sinn-ular  form  but  a  collective  meaning,  as  in  v.  12  (11) 
above.  In  the  nations^  not  only  to  them,  but  among  them,  in  the 
midst  of  them,  and  in  their  own  experience.  The  display  of  God's 
omnipotence  had  not  been  confined  to  his  own  people,  but  extended 
to  surrounding  nations.  This  is  particularly  mentioned  in  the 
history  of  the  exodus  from  Egypt.     See  Ex.  ix.  16.  xv.  14. 

16  (15. J  Thou  hast  redeemed  with  the  arm  thy  people,  the  sons 
of  Jacob  and  Joseph.  Selah.  The  particular  display  of  the  di- 
vine strength  just  referred  to  is  now  specified.  Redeemed, 
recovered  from  captivity  or  bondage.  With  the  arm,  i.  e.  by  the 
exercise  of  power.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  4  (3.)  Joseph  is 
named  as  well  as  Jacoh,  in  order  to  include  the  ten  tribes  in  the 
statement,  which  might  otherwise  have  been  applied  to  Judah  only, 
as  the  legitimate  successor  of  the  ancient  Israel.  In  this  clause 
some  interpreters  see  a  distinct  allusion  to  the  downfal  of  the 
kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes,  as  an  event  which  had  already  taken 
place  when  the  psalm  was  written. 

17  (16.)  The  waters  sawmee,  God,  the  waters  saw  thee;  they 
shake,  yea,  the  depths  quake.  The  historical  reference  is  of  course 
to  the  passage  of  the  Red  Sea,  but  at  the  same  time  with  al- 
lusion to  the  symbolical  use  of  seas  in  Scripture.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xlvi.  3  (2.)  The  transition  from  the  past  tense  to  the  future 
or  present  shows  that  the  writer  suddenly  transports  himself  into 
the  midst  of  the  events  which  he  commemorates.  The  yea  or  nay 
(C)i^)  in  the  last  clause  is  emphatic.  Not  merely  the  surface  of 
the  water  moves  ;  its  very  depths  are  agitated  and  convulsed. 

18  (17.)  The  clo'ids  poured  water  ;  the  skies  gave  a  sound  ;  yea^ 


PSALM    LXXVII.  191 

thine  arrows  fly.  These  are  natural  phenomena  of  storms,  here 
noted  as  betokening  God's  presence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii. 
12 — 15  (11 — 14.)  The  skies,  the  vapours  constituting  the  visible 
heavens.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  35  (34.)  Gave  a  sound,  ut- 
tered their  voice,  a  beautiful  description  of  the  thunder.  The 
yea  indicates  a  climax.  There  was  not  only  rain  and  thunder  but 
lightning,  the  flashes  of  which  are  poetically  spoken  of  as  arrows 
See  above,  on  Ps,  xviii.  15  (14.)  The  word  translated^?/  is  an 
intensive  form  of  the  verb  to  go,  implying  swiftness  and  perhaps 
diversity  of  direction,  hither  and  thither,  to  and  fro.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxvi.  3.  xxxv.  14.      With  this  verse  compare  Hab.  iii.  11. 

19  (18.)  The  voice  of  thy  thunder  (was)  in  the  whirlwind; 
lightnings  made  the  world  shine ;  (then)  shook  and  quakzd  the 
earth.  The  word  translated  whirlwind  usually  means  a  wheel.^ 
but  is  sometimes  applied  to  any  thing  whirled  or  driven  round 
before  the  wind.  See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  14  (13),  and  com- 
pare Isai.  xvii.  13.  Hence  it  may  naturally  be  employed  to  de- 
signate the  whirlwind  itself  as  the  cause  of  this  rotary  motion. 
This  is  surely  more  agreeable  to  usage  than  to  make  it  descriptive 
of  mere  swiftness  or  velocity.  The  common  version,  in  the  hea- 
ven, if  not  entirely  arbitary,  must  rest  upon  a  supposed  allusion 
to  the  convex  appearance  of  the  heavens.  Made  to  shine,  illu- 
minated, lighted  up.  There  is  however  no  affinity  between  the 
Hebrew  word  and  that  for  lightnings.  The  whole  description  is 
remarkably  like  that  of  the  theophany  in  Ps.  xviii.  See  also 
Hab.  iii.  14. 

20  (19.)  In  the  sea  (was)  thy  way  and  thy  paths  in  great  (or 
many)  waters,  and  thy  footsteps  were  not  known.  This  may  bo 
understood  as  a  general  description  of  the  divine  operations  as  in- 
scrutable, in  which  case  the  verbs  supplied  should  have  the  pre- 
Bent  form,  is  thy  way,  arc  not  known.  It  is  more  agreeable,  how 
eyer,  to  the  context,  and  in  far  better  keeping  with   the  viviJ! 


J92  PSALM  LXXVITI. 

graphic  character  of  this  part  of  the  psalm,  to  understand  the 
verso,  at  least  in  the  first  instance,  as  referring  to  the  exodus  from 
Egypt,  when  it  might  indeed  be  said  that  the  way  of  Jehovah,  as 
the  deliverer  and  conductor  of  his  people,  was  in  the  sea^  and  that 
Lis  footsteps  and  theirs  could  not  be  traced,  because  the  waters 
iastantly  rolled  over  them.     With  this  verse  compare  Hab.  iii.  15. 

21  (20.)  Thou  didst  guide  like  a  flock  thy  people,  by  the  haidd 
of  Moses  and  Aaron.  Like  a  flock,  in  perfect  safety  and  with 
perfect  ease.  The  comparison  of  Moses,  at  this  juncture,  to  a 
shepherd,  reappears  in  Isai.  Ixiii.  11 — 14.  The  conclusion  of  the 
psalm  appears  abrupt,  but  any  devout  Israelite  could  draw  the 
inference  for  himself,  that  he  who  had  so  gloriously  saved  his 
people  could  deliver  them  again. 


PSALM     L  XXYIII. 

This  psalm  appears  to  have  been  written  after  David's  eleva- 
tion to  the  throne,  and  perhaps  before  he  was  acknowledged  by 
the  whole  race  of  Israel  (2  Sam.  v.  5.)  Its  design  is  to  impress 
upon  the  public  mind  the  true  grounds  of  the  transfer  which  had 
taken  place,  of  the  pre-eminence  in  Israel,  from  the  tribe  of 
Ephraim  to  that  of  Judah,  as  the  execution  of  a  divine  purpose 
long  before  disclosed,  and  at  the  same  time  a  just  judgment  on 
the  sins  committed  by  the  people  under  the  predominant  influence 
of  Ephraim,  from  the  time  of  Joshua  to  that  of  Eli.  The  internal 
character  of  the  psalm  determines  its  external  form,  which  is 
Biniple,  and  admits  of  no  minute  division,  beyond  that  aflForded  by 
the  historical  succession  of  events  and  the  logical  design  of  the 


PSALM   LXXVIIl.  193 

composition,  to  prove^  that  the  Israelites  under  the  ascendancy 
of  Ephraim  were  similar  in  character  to  the  elder  generation  which 
came  out  of  Egypt. 

1.  Maschil.  By  Asa/ph  Listen^  my  people ^  to  my  law  ;  in- 
cline your  ear  to  the  _  sayings  of  my  mouth.  This  is  eminently  a 
didactic  psalm,  because  it  teaches  the  true  meaning  of  events  in 
the  history  of  Israel  which  might  otherwise  seem  to  be  mere 
matters  of  curiosity.  For  the  same  reason  it  was  necessary  that 
it  should  be  so  designated  in  the  title  or  inscription.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxxii.  1.  xlii.  1.  Hi.  1.  etc.  The  Asaph  meant,  as  we  have 
seen,  is  probably  the  contemporary  and  chief  musician  of  David, 
but  also  an  inspired  psalmist.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  1.  In  this 
verse,  he  invites  attention,  as  if  to  something  strange  and  unex- 
pected. My  people.,  fellow-members  of  the  ancient  church,  not 
as  individuals,  however,  but  as  an  organized  body.  My  law.,  my 
inspired  instructions  which,  as  such,  have  a  binding  authority  and 
force. 

2.  I  will  opeUj  in  a  parable^  my  month;  I  loill  vtrer  riddles 
from  antiquity.  By  a  parable  we  are  here  to  understand  an 
analogical  illustration  of  divine  truth.  An  exposition  of  the  true 
design  and  meaning  of  the  history  of  Israel  was  in  this  sense  a 
mashal  or  parable.  Riddles^  enigmas,  not  the  events  themselves, 
but  their  latent  import,  which  escaped  a  merely  superficial  obser- 
vation. See  above,  on  Ps.  xlix.  5  (4.)  Of  old,  or  from  an- 
tiquity, i.  e.  belonging  to  the  early  period  of  our  national  exist- 
ence. Utter  J  literally,  pour  forth,  cause  to  flow  or  gush.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xix.  3  (2.) 

3.  Which  we  have  heard,  and  have  k7iotcnthem,  and  our  father i 
recounted  to  us.  Here,  as  often  elsewhere,  the  knowledge  of  God's 
ancient  dealings  with  his  people  is  ascribed  to  that  national  tra- 
lition,  which  they  were  not  only  suffered  but  required  to  cherish 

9 


J94  PSALM    LXXVIH 

and  perpetuate  (Ex.  xii.  14.  Deut.  vi.  20), .but  whicli  was  not 
at  all  exclusive  of  a  written  and  authoritative  record. 

4.  We  ivillnot  hide  {them)  from  their  sons,  to  an  after  genera^ 
Hon  recounting  the  praises  of  Jehovah^  and  his  strength^  and  hii 
wonders  which  he  did.  The  psalmist  here  recognises  the  obliga- 
tion resting  on  the  individual  parent,  but  above  all  on  the  church 
as  such,  to  continue  the  transmission  of  this  knowledge  to  the 
latest  generations. 

5.  And  set  up  a  testimony  in  Jacoh^  and  a  law  established  in 
Israel,  which  he  commanded  our  fathers,  to  make  them  knoivn  unto 
their  sons.  The  essential  idea  here  conveyed  still  is,  that  the 
traditional  transmission  of  God's  mighty  deeds  entered  into  the 
very  end  or  purpose  for  which'  Israel  existed  as  a  nation. 

6.  Ill  order  that  the  after  generation  might  know,  sons  he  horn^ 
arise,  and  tell  {it)  to  their  oicn  sons.  This  prolonged  reiteration 
of  the  same  thing  seems  intended  to  preclude  the  thought  or  feel- 
ing, that  the  things  about  to  be  recounted  were  mere  relics  of 
antiquity,  without  interest  or  use  to  the  contemporary  race. 

7.  Afid  might  place  in  God  their  hope,  and  not  forget  the  deeds 
of  the  Almighty,  and  his  commandments  might  observe  (or  keep.) 
The  construction  is  continued  from  the  verse  preceding.  The 
recollection  thus  enjoined  was  not  a  mere  historical  or  speculative 
exercise,  but  designed  to  have  a  practical  effect,  to  wit,  that  of 
securing  obedience. 

8.  A7id  might  not  be  as  their  fathers,  a  generation  stubborn  and 
rebellious,  a  generation  that  did  not  prepare  its  heart,  and  whose 
tpirit  teas  not  true  to  God.  A  still  more  specific  purpose  is  here 
mentioned,  to  wit,  that  of  warning  by  means  of  bad  examples. 
The  fathers  here  meant  are   the  elder  race   that   came  out  of 


FSaLM     LXXViil.  195 

Egypt  The  description  stubborn  and  rebellious  is  borrowed  from 
Deut.  xxi.  18.  To  prepare  the  heart  is  to  dispose  or  devote  it  to 
(rod's  service.      Compare  1  Sam.  vii.  3.  2  Chron.  xx.  33. 

9.  The  sons  of  JEphraim,  armed  boicme.i,  turned  (back)  in  thi 
day  of  battle.  The  people,  during  the  ascendancy  of  Ephraira, 
proved  false  to  their  great  mission  of  subduing  Canaan  and  de- 
stroying its  inhabitants.  This  neglect  is  represented,  in  the  his- 
tory itself,  as  the  source  of  all  the  national  calamities  that  fol- 
lowed. As  the  bow  among  the  ancients  was  one  of  the  chief 
weapons  of  war,  the  description  armed  bowmen  is  equivalent  to 
well  armed  soldiers,  and  is  added  to  enhance  the  guilt  and  shame 
of  those  who  thus  betrayed  their  trust,  in  spite  of  every  external 
advantage. 

10.  They  kept  not  the  covenant  of  God^  and  in  his  law  refusea 
to  walk.  They  violated  the  condition  of  their  national  vocation, 
and  refused  to  do  the  very  thing  for  which  they  were  brought  out 
of  Egypt. 

11.  And  forgot  his  deeds  and  his  ivonders  ivhich  he  showed  them. 
The  second  generation  forgot  the  proofs  of  God's  presence  and 
power,  which,  in  the  person  of  their  fathers,  they  had  seen  when 
they  came  out  of  Egypt. 

12.  Before  their  fathers  he  did  a  wonder.,  in  the  land  of  Egypt ^ 
in  the  field  of  Zoan.  Wonder  has  here  the  same  collective 
sense  as  in  Ps.  Ixxvii.  12,  15  (11,  14,)  Zoa7i  called  by  the 
G-i-eeks  Tanis,  was  the  ancient  capital  of  Lower  Egypt.  See 
Num  xiii.  22.  The  field  of  Zoan  was  the  country  immediately 
?.djacent  to  it. 

13.  He  clave  the  sea,  and  let  them  pass.,  and  made  the  watejx 


196  PSALM   LXXVIll. 

liand  as  a  heajp.     This  last  expression  is  derived  from  Ex.  xv.  8. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiii.  7. 

14.  Arid  led  them  by  the  cloud  by  day^  and  all  the  night  by  light 
nfjire.  See  Ex.  xiii.  21,  22.  The  original  expression,  in  tht 
doud^  may  denote  something  more  than  instrumental  agency,  to 
wit,  the  personal  presence  of  the  Divine  Angel  in  the  cloud 
itself. 

15.  He  cleaves  rocks  in  the  wilderness^  and  gives  them  drink  as 
a  great  deep.  This  last  is  a  hyperbolical  description  of  an  abun- 
dant flow  of  water  in  the  desert.  Some  account  for  it  by  sup- 
posing an  allusion  to  the  flood,  from  the  a-ccount  of  which  (Gen. 
vii.  11)  some  of  the  expressions  are  borrowed.  The  verse  has 
reference  to  both  miraculous  supplies  of  this  kind,  one  in  the  first, 
and  one  in  the  last  year  of  the  error  in  the  wilderness.  See  Ex. 
xvii.  6    Num.  xx.  8. 

16.  And  brings  out  torrents  froin  a  rock^  and  brings  doion  wa- 
ters like  the  rivers.  This  verse  relates  to  the  later  miracle,  re- 
corded in  the  twentieth  of  Numbers. 

17.  And  they  continued  still  to  sin  against  him,  to  rebel  against 
the  Highest  in  the  desert.  What  ought  to  have  been  the  eflPoct  of 
these  divine  interpositions,  is  clearly  implied  in  this  description  of 
the  actual  cfi'ect.  The  very  means  which  should  have  made  them 
more  obedient  made  them  more  rebellious.  The  last  word  in 
Hebrew  means  a  desert,  properly  so  called,  a  dry  land,  and  may 
here  bo  used  to  suggest  the  idea,  that  they  foolishly  and  wickedly 
provoked  God  in  the  very  situation  where  they  were  most  de- 
pendent on  him  for  protection  and  supplies.  The  extent  of  thi? 
dependence  is  implied  in  the  use  of  a  divine  name  signifying  sove 
reignty,  supremacy. 


PSALM    LXXVIIl.  197 

18.  Atid  tempted  God  in  their  heart  j  to  ask  food  for  their  soul. 
To  tempt  God  is  to  require  unnecessary  proof  of  what  should  be 
believed  without  it.  Instead  of  trusting  in  his  bounty  to  supply 
them,  they  anxiously  demanded  what  they  looked  upon  as  neces- 
sary for  their  sustenance.  In  their  heart  describes  the  first  con- 
ception of  the  sin,  as  distinguished  from  its  outward  commission 
in  the  next  verse.  To  ask^  by  asking,  or  rather,  so  as  to  ask. 
Such  was  their  impious  distrust  of  God,  that  they  actually  asked, 
etc.  For  their  soid,  for  themselves  ;  or,  for  their  appetite,  to 
gratify  their  inordinate  desire  of  bodily  indulgence  ;  or,  for  their 
life,  as  absolutely  necessary  to  preserve  it. 

19.  And  spake  of  God  (and)  said,  Will  the  Almighty  he  able 
to  set  a  table  in  the  wilderness  ?  This  they  not  only  said,  but 
said  it  speaking  of  or  against  God.  The  unreasonableness  of  the 
doubt  is  aggravated  by  the  use  of  a  divine  name  wliich  implies  om- 
nipotence. As  if  they  had  said.  Can  he  do  this  who  can  do 
everything  ? 

20.  Lo,  he  smote  the  rock,  and  waters  flow,  and  streams  gush 
out  ;  (but)  can  he  also  give  bread  or  provide  flesh  for  his  people  1 
The  same  thing  is  now  proved  by  an  appeal  to  what  he  had  done. 
The  question  is  reduced  to  an  absurdity  by  introducing  as  a  kind 
of  preamble,  what  ought  to  have  prevented  its  being  asked  at 
all.  The  doubters  are  described  in  these  two  verses  as  virtually 
reasoning  thus :  God  is  almighty  ;  but  is  he  able  to  supply  cur 
wants  }  He  has  given  us  water  ;  but  can  he  give  us  bread  or 
uieat .'' 

21.  Therefore  Jo,hovah  heard  and  was  wroth,  and  fire  was 
kindled  in  Jacob,  and  also  anger  came  up  in  (or  against)  Israel 
The  first  clause  exemplifies  a  common  Hebrew  idiom,  equivalent 
to  saying,  therefore  when  he  heard  he  was  angry.  Heard,  not 
the  rumour  or  report  of  their  oficnce,  but  the  offence  itself,  which 


198  PSALM   LXXVIIl. 

consisted  externally  in  speaking  against  God.  The  second  verb 
is  a  reflexive  form  of  one  that  means  to  pass  out  or  over,  and 
properly  denotes  the  act  of  letting  one's  self  ont  or  giving  vent  to 
the  emotions.  Fire  seems  to  be  a  figure  for  this  same  wrath, 
with  or  without  allusion  to  material  fire  as  a  driP,troying  agent. 
Compare  Num.  xi.  1.  Came  up^  in  the  -mind.  See  2  Sam. 
xi.  20.  Or  there  may  be  an  allusion  to  the  visible  ascent  of 
smoke  and  flame,  as  in  Ps.  xviii.  9  (8.) 

22.  Because  they  believed  not  in  God,  and  trusted  not  in  his  sal- 
vatio^i.  Compare  the  terms  of  the  history  in  Ex.  xiv.  13.  Num 
xiv.  11. 

23.  And  he  commanded  the  cloud  above,  and  the  doors  of  heaven 
he  opened.  The  connection  of  the  sentences  is  correctly  although 
freely  given  in  the  common  version,  though  he  had  commanded ^ 
etc.  Above,  literally,  from  above,  but  see  on  Ps.  1.  4.  The 
whole  verse  expresses  the  idea  of  a  copious  supply  from  heaven. 
In  the  last  clause  there  seems  to  be  a  reference  to  the  opening  of 
the  windows  of  heaven  at  the  deluge.  Compare  Gen.  vii.  11, 
and  see  above  on  v.  15. 

24.  A'iid  rained  upon  them  manna  to  eat,  and  corn  of  heaven 
qave  to  them.  The  expression  rained  is  borrowed  from  the  his- 
tory, Ex.  xvi.  4.  The  addition  of  the  words  to  eat  may  have 
'•eference  to  the  primary  import  of  the  word  {y2^  manna  as  an 
interrogative  or  indefinite  pronoun,  meaning  what  or  somewhat,  so 
that  the  words  here  might  also  bear  the  sense  of  something  to  eat. 
See  Ex.  xvi.  15,  31.  It  is  called  corn  of  heaven  as  a  miracu- 
lous substitute  for  bread,  and  also  in  allusion  to  its  granular  form 
and  appearance,  Ex.  xvi.  31. 

25.  Bread  of  the  mighty  {ones)  did  {each)  man  eat  ;  victual  ht 
tent  them  to  the  full.    The  first  Hebrew  word,  as  appears  from  tho 


PSALM   LXXViri.  199 

preceding  verse,  is  used  in  its  specific  sense  of  bread,  and  not  in 
the  generic  one  of  food,  which  is  otherwise  expressed  in  v,  20 
Some  explain  bread  of  the  mighty  to  mean  delicate  or  costly 
bread,  like  that  used  by  the  rich  and  noble.  But  to  these  the 
epithet  is  nowhere  else  applied,  as  a  similar  one  is  to  the  angel? 
in  Ps.  ciii.  20,  a  circumstance  which  favours  the  old  explanation 
given  in  the  Targum  and  the  Septuagint,  according  to  which 
manna  is  called  ange.W  bread.,  not  as  being  their  food,  but  as 
coming  from  the  place  where  they  reside.  Man  is  not  used 
generically  in  antithesis  to  angels,  which  would  have  required  an- 
other Hebrew  word  (tj"i?:),  but  distributively  in  the  sense  of  every 
one,  as  it  is  in  the  history  of  this  very  miracle,  Ex.  xvi.  16.  The 
idea  then  is  that  enough  was  sent  for  all  without  exception.  The 
word  translated  victual  denotes  specially  provision  for  a  march 
or  journey.  See  Ex.  xii.  39.  To  the  full,  ov  to  satiety,  enough 
and  more  than  enough  to  satisfy  the  appetite  of  every  individual ; 
another  expression  borrowed  from  the  history.     See  Ex.  xvi.  3. 

26.  He  rouses  an  east-ivind  in  the  heavens,  and  guides  by  his 
fowtr  a  south-wind.  The  first  verb  is  a  causative  of  that  used  in 
Num.  xi.  31,  which  strictly  means  to  strike  a  tent  or  break  up  an 
encampment,  and  then  to  set  out  upon  a  march  or  journey,  but 
is  there  applied  to  the  sudden  rise  of  a  particular  wind.  The  east 
and  south  are  here  named  as  the  points  from  which  the  strongest 
winds  were  known  to  blow  in  that  part  of  the  world.  The  history 
itself  contains  no  such  specification.  Guides,  directs  it  in  the 
course  required  for  his  purpose. 

27.  And  he  rained  upon  them,  like  dust,  flesh,  and  like  the  sand 
of  seas,  winged  fowl  (or  birds  of  wing. )  Here,  as  in  the  miracle 
of  water,  two  miraculous  supplies  of  flesh  are  brought  together. 
See  Ex.  xvi.  13.  Num.  xi.  31,  32.  To  these  too  is  transferred 
the  figure  of  rain,  which  in  the  history  is  applied  only  to  the 


200  PSALM  LXXVTTf. 

28.  And  let  it  fall  in  the  viidst  of  his  camp^  round  ahovi  hh 
dwellings.  The  pronoun  his  r-^fers  to  Israel  as  a  body,  and  may 
be  rendered  clearer  by  the  use  of  the  plural  their.  Several  of  the 
terms  here  used  are  borrowed  from  the  Mosaic  narrative.  See 
Ex.  xvi.  13  Num.  xi.  31. 

29.  And  they  ate  and  were  sated  exceedingly.^  and  (thus)  their 
desire  he  brings  to  them.  The  first  clause  is  an  amplification  of 
the  phrase  to  the  full  in  v.  25  above.  Compare  the  history  in 
Num.  xi.  18 — 20.  Their  desire,  i  e.  the  object  of  it,  that  which 
they  had  longed  for. 

30.  They  were  not  (yet)  estranged  from  their  desire ;  still 
(was)  thdr  food  in  their  mouth.  This  is  merely  the  protasis  or 
conditional  clause  of  the  sentence  completed  in  the  next  verse. 
The  first  clause  does  not  mean  that  the  food  had  not  begun  to 
pall  upon  their  appetite,  but,  as  the  other  clause  explains  it,  that 
it  was  still  in  their  possession,  in  their  very  mouths,  when  God 
smote  them.     Compare  Num.  xi.  33. 

31.  And  the  wrath  of  God  came  up  among  them-  (or  against 
them),  and  slew  among  their  fat  ones,  and  the  chosen  (youths)  of 
Israel  brought  loio.  The  form  of  expression  in  the  first  clause  is 
the  same  as  in  v.  21  above.  Among  their  fat  ones^  i.  e.  killed 
some  or  many  of  them.  The  parallel  term,  according  to  its  ety- 
mology, means  picked  or  chosen  men,  but  in  usage  is  applied  to 
young  men  in  their  full  strength  and  the  flower  of  their  ag3,  and 
therefore  fit  for  military  service.  Thus  the  youngest  and  strongest 
arc  described  as  unable  to  resist  the  exhibition  of  God's  wrath 
against  his  people. 

32.  For  all  this  they  sinned  still,  and  believed  not  for  his  wcr^ 
ders.  Notwithstanding  all  these  favours  and  extraordinary  inter 
positions,  the  generation  that  came  out  of  Egypt  still  persisted  in 


PSALM    Lxxvirr.  201 

their  evil  courses  The  last  clause  does  not  charge  them  with 
denying  the  reality  of  the  wonders  which  they  witnessed,  but  with 
refusing  to  trust  God  on  the  strength  of  them.  This  appears 
from  the  history  itself,  Num.  xiv.  11,  to  which  there  is  obvious 
illusion. 

33.  And  (therefore)  he  wasted  in  vanity  their  days  and  their 
years  in  terror.  As  the  preceding  verse  relates  to  the  refusal  of 
the  people  to  go  up  against  the  Canaanites  in  the  first  year  of  the 
exodus,  so  this  relates  to  the  forty  years  of  error  in  the  wilder- 
ness, by  which  that  refusal  was  at  once  indulged  and  punished. 
The  fruitless  monotony  of  their  existence  during  this  long  period, 
and  their  constant  apprehension  of  some  outbreak  of  divine  wrath, 
are  <^xpressed  here  by  the  words  translated  vanity  and  terror. 
The  meaning  of  the  verb  is  that  he  suffered  or  caused  their  years 
to  be  thus  unprofitably  and  miserably  spent.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxiii. 
19. 

34.  If  he  slew  them,  then  they  sought  him,  and  returned  and 
inquired  early  after  God.  Whenever,  during  this  long  interval, 
he  punished  them  with  more  than  usual  severity,  a  temporary  and 
apparent  reformation  was  the  immediate  consequence.  The  verb 
in  the  last  clause  denotes  eager  and  importunate  solicitation.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xliii.  2  (1.) 

35.  And  remembered  that  God  (loas)  their  Rock,  and  the 
Alight y,  the  Most  High,  their  Redeemer.  It  was  only  at  these 
times  of  peculiar  suffering  that  the  people,  as  a  body,  called  to 
mind  their  national  relation  to  Jehovah,  as  their  founder,  their 
protector,  and  their  refuge.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2),  and 

omjare  Deut.  xxxii.  4,  15,  18,  31. 

36.  And  (yat)  they  deceived  him  with  their  mouth,  and  ivith 
(Anr  tongue  they  lie  to  him.      Even  these  apparent  reform ationa 

9* 


202  PSALM    LXXVllT. 

only  led  to  hypocritical  professious.  The  verb  in  the  first  cUusa 
does  not  describe  the  effect  but  the  intention.  It  may  therefore 
be  translated /rt^^ere^,  although  this  is  not  the  strict  sense  of  the 
Hebrew  word. 

37.  And  their  heart  was  not  fixed  (or  constant)  loith  him^  and 
they  were  not  true  to  {or  faithful  in)  his  covenant.  Their  obedience 
was  capricious  and  imperfect,  and  proceeded  from  no  settled  prin- 
ciple or  genuine  devotion  to  his  service.  They  were  false  to  the 
very  end  for  which  they  existed  as  a  nation.  For  the  meaning  of 
a  fixed  or  settled  hearty  see  above,  on  Ps  li.  12  (10),  and  com- 
pare Ps.  Ivii.  8  (7.) 

38.  And  he^  the  Merciful^  forgives  iniquity^  and  does  not  (ut- 
terly) destroy  ;  and  he  often  withdrew  his  anger ^  and  would  not 
a,rouse  all  his  wrath.  The  first  clause  relates  rather  to  God's  at- 
tributes, or  to  his  method  of  proceeding  in  the  general,  than  to 
his  proceeding  in  this  particular  case,  which  is  not  brought  for- 
ward till  the  last  clause.  There  is  obvious  allusion  to  the  de- 
scription of  Grod's  mercy  in  Ex.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  Forgives  is  a  very 
inadequate  translation  of  the  Hebrew  word,  which  necessarily 
suggests  the  idea  of  expiation  as  the  ground  of  pardon.  Often 
withdrew y  literally,  multiplied  to  withdraw  his  wrath,  or  cause  it 
to  return  without  accomplishing  its  object. 

39.  And  he  revmnhered  that  they  (were  hui)  fiesh.,  a  breath  de- 
parting and  returning  not.  Here  as  elsewhere  the  frailty  and 
infirmity  of  man  is  assigned  as  a  ground  of  the  divine  forbearance. 
Compare  Ps.  ciii.  14 — 16.  Fleshy  a  common  scriptural  expres- 
Bion  for  humanity  or  human  nature,  as  distinguished  from  superior 
beings,  and  especially  from  Grod.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  5  (4) , 
and  compare  Gen.  vi.  3.  Isai.  xxxi.  3.  The  idea  of  fragility  and 
brief  duration  is  expressed  still  more  strongly  by  the  exquisite 
figure  in  the  last  clause.     The  melancholy  thought  with  which  U 


PSALM  LXXVIII.  203 

closes  is  rendered  still  more  emphatic  in  Hebrew  by  the  position 
of  the  verb  and  the  irregular  construction  of  the  sentence,  a  breath 
going  and  it  shall  not  rdurn. 

40.  How  oft  do  they  resist  him  in  the  wilderness  (and)  grieva 
him  in  the  desert  !  Many  particular  occurrences  are  summed  up 
in  this  pregnant  exclamation.  The  future  form  of  the  verbs 
seems  to  have  reference  to  the  ideal  situation  of  the  writer,  look- 
ing forward  in  imagination  to  the  error  as  still  future,  and  saying 
as  Moses  might  have  said,  if  gifted  with  prophetic  foresight  of  the 
sins  of  Israel,  Notwithstanding  all  these  favours  and  these  high 
professions,  how  oft  will  they  resist  his  authority  and  rouse  his 
wrath  ! 

41.  And  they  turned  and  tempted  God^  and  {on)  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel  sei  a  mark.  Having  described  the  conduct  of  the  first 
generation  in  the  wilderness,  the  Psalmist  now  proceeds  to  show 
that  the  younger  generation,  after  the  death  of  Joshua  (Josh. 
xxiv.  31),  were  like  their  fathers  (v.  57  below.)  The  first  verb 
may  either  have  the  independent  meaning  turned  away  or  turned 
hack  from  his  service,  or  qualify  the  next  verb  by  denoting  repe- 
tition of  the  action  ;  and  they  temjpted  again.,  or  still  tempted. 
They  tempted  God  by  doubting  his  supremacy,  and  practically 
challenging  him  to  the  proof  of  it.  See  above,  on  v.  19.  The 
last  word  in  Hebrew  is  of  doubtful  meaning.  Some  explain  it,  by 
a  Syriac  analogy,  and  on  the  authority  of  the  ancient  versions,  to 
mean  provoked  or  grieved.  In  the  only  other  place  where  the 
Hebrew  word  occurs  (Ez.  ix.  4)  it  means  to  set  a  mark  upon  a 
person,  which  some  apply  here,  in  the  figurative  sense  of  stigma- 
tizing or  insulting.  A  cognate  verb  is  used  by  Moses  (Num.  xxxiv. 
7,  8)  to  denote  the  act  of  laying  off  or  marking  out  a  boundary, 
which  is  probably  the  origin  of  th3  common  version,  limited.,  i.  e, 
prescribed  bounds  to  the  power  of  Jehovah  in  their  unbelief 
Holy  One  of  Israel^  see  above,  or  Ps.  Ixxi.  22. 


204  PSALIVJ    LXXVIJI. 

42.  They  rememhered  not  his  hand^  the  day  that  hi  rcdeemeA 
them  from  distress  {or  from  the  enemy.)  The  Psalmist  still  con- 
founds or  identifies  the  several  generations  as  one  aggregate  or 
national  person.  The  younger  race  remembered  not  the  mirac 
ulous  favours  experienced  by  their  predecessors.  ITis  hand^  the 
exertion  of  his  power,  a  favourite  Mosaic  figure.  See  pa^-ticu- 
larly  Ex.  vii.  5.  xiii.  9.  Deut.  vii.  8.  The  last  clause  admits  of 
two  constructions.  The  day  may  be  in  apposition  with  his  hand, 
and  a  collateral  object  to  the  verb,  as  in  the  common  version  ;  or 
it  may  be  an  adverbial  expression  qualifying  what  precedes.  '  They 
remembered  not  how  his  power  was  exerted  in  the  day  that  he 
redeemed  them  from  the  enemy.'  The  essential  meaning  is  the 
same  in  either  case. 

43.  {^e)  ivho  set  in  Egypt  his  signs  and  his  wonders  in  the 
field  of  Zoan.  The  miraculous  interpositions  at  the  exodus  were 
signs  of  God's  presence  and  immediate  agency.  To  set  these 
was  to  hold  them  up  to  view.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiv.  4.  The 
description  of  Egypt  in  the  last  clause  is  repeated  from  v.  12 
above. 

44.  And  turned  to  hlood  their  rivers.,  and  their  streams  they  can 
V4}t  drink.  The  general  statement  of  the  preceding  verse  is 
rendered  more  specific  by  the  mention  of  several  of  the  plagues 
in  detail,  beginning  with  the  first.  See  Ex.  vii.  18 — 20.  The 
word  translated  rivers  is  the  plural  of  one  commonly  applied  to 
the  Nile,  and  supposed  to  be  of  Egyptian  origin.  It  may  here 
bo  understood  as  denoting  either  the  natural  branches  of  the  Nile 
or  the  artificial  channels  by  which  its  waters  are  employed  in  the 
irrigation  of  the  country.  In  the  last  clause,  by  a  very  common 
trope,  the  writer  speaks  as  he  might  have  spoken  at  the  time  of 
Ihc  event. 

45.  He  scs'tdi  among  them  (or  against  them)  /ties  and  they  de- 


PSALM    LXXVIIl.  205 

mur  them,  and  frogs  and  they  destroy  them.  Two  of  the  other 
plagues  are  here  added,  from  the  narrative  in  Exodus  eh.  viii. 
The  first  noun  in  Hebrew  was  explained  by  the  ancient  writers  aa 
denoting  a  mixture  of  noxious  animals  ;  but  the  best  interpreters 
are  now  agreed  that  it  means  the  Egyptian  dog-fly,  which  Philo 
represents  as  feeding  upon  flesh  and  blood. 

46.  And  he  gave  (iip)  to  the  caterpillar  their  produce,  and  their 
labour  to  the  locust.  Both  the  animal  names  in  this  verse  are 
really  designations  of  the  locust,  one  meaning  the  devourer,  and 
the  other  denoting  the  vast  numbers  of  that  insect.  Their  labour, 
i.  e.  its  efi"ect  or  fruit.     Compare  the  narrative  in  Ex.  x.  12 — 19. 

47.  lie  Jcills  with  hail  their  vine  and  their  sycamores  with  frost. 
The  destruction  of  the  vines  is  not  mentioned  in  the  history  (Ex. 
ix.  23 — 32),  though  it  is  in  Ps.  cv.  33.  It  has  even  been  de- 
nied that  the  culture  of  the  vine  was  known  in  ancient  Egypt ; 
but  the  fact  has  been  fully  established  by  modern  investigation 
and  discovery.  The  last  word  of  the  sentence  occurs  nowhere 
else.  Some  of  the  moderns  explain  it,  from  an  Arabic  analogy,  to 
mean  an  ant ;  but  the  parallelism  favours  the  usual  interpreta- 
tion which  is  derived  from  the  ancient  versions. 

48.  And  delivered  their  cattle  to  the  hail  and  their  herds  to  the 
dames.  The  Hebrew  verb  strictly  means  shut  up,  and  occurs 
elsewhere  in  the  combination  to  shut  up  in  the  hand,  i.  e.  abandon 
to  the  power,  of  another.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxi.  9  (8),  and 
compare  1  Sam.  xxiii.  11.  Here,  as  in  Deut.  xxxii.  30,  the  verb 
is  used  absolutely  in  the  sense  of  the  whole  phrase.  The  word 
translated  Jlames  occurs  above  in  Ps.  Ixxvi.  4  (3),  and  is  here  a 
poetical  description  of  the  lightning.  The  common  version  (hot 
thunderbolts)  is  striking  and  poetical,  but  perhaps  too  strong. 
This  verse  does  not  relate  to  a  distinct  plague,  but  to  the  effects 


2(jQ  PSALM    LXXVIII. 

of  the  hail-storm  upon  animals,  as  its  effect  upon  plants  was  do* 
scribed  in  the  preceding  verse. 

49.  He  sends  upon  them  the  heat  of  his  anger ^  u-rath  and  indig- 
nation and  anguish^  a  missio7i  of  angels  of  evil.  Before  m.en- 
tioninij  the  last  and  greatest  plague  of  all,  he  accumulates  expres- 
sions to  describe  it  as  the  effect  of  the  divine  displeasure.  The 
slaughter  of  the  first-born  is  ascribed  in  the  history  itself  to  a 
destroyer  or  destroying  angel  (Ex.  xii.  23.  Heb.  xi.  28),  which 
may  be  a  collective  as  it  aeems  to  be  in  1  Sam.  xiii.  17,  or 
denote  the  commander  of  a  destroying  host  (Josh.  v.  15,)  here 
called  a  mission  or  comvtission  of  angels.  The  destroying  angel 
reappears  in  the  history  of  David  (2  Sam.  xxiv.  16)  and  of  Heze- 
kiah  (2  Kings  xix.  35.)  The  origiual  construction  in  the  case 
before  us  is  peculiar,  angels  of  evil  {ones. )  This  cannot  mean 
evil  angels.,  in  the  sense  of  fallen  spirits,  who  are  not  described  in 
the  Old  Testament  as  the  executioners  of  God's  decrees.  The 
best  explanation  is  perhaps  to  take  the  plural  evils  in  an  abstract 
sense,  angels  of  evil.,  not  moral  but  physical,  i.  e,  authors  of  suf- 
fering or  destruction. 

50.  He  levels  a  path  for  his  anger;  and  he  did  not  ivithholdfrom 
death  their  soul.,  and  their  life  to  the  plague  gave  up.  For  the 
meaning  of  the  first  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Iviii.  3  (2.)  The 
meaning  of  the  figure  seems  to  be,  that  he  removes  all  hinderance 
to  his  anger  and  allows  it  free  scope.  Not  content  with  having 
smitten  their  possessions  and  their  persons,  he  now  extends  his 
fitroke  to  their  lives.  The  word  translated  life  more  usually 
means  an  animal  or  animals  collectively.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixviii.  11,  31  (10,  30.)  Ixxiv.  19.  If  we  retain  this  meaning  here, 
the  verse  may  be  referred  to  the  death  of  the  Egyptian  cattle  by 
the  murrain  (Ex.  ix.  1 — 7.)  But  the  parallelism  and  the  con- 
text rather  fav(mr  the  translation  life,  and  the  reference  of  the 
passage  to  the    death  of  the  first-born,  which  was  probably  oc- 


PSALM  LXXVlil.  ^OT 

casioned  by  a  pestilence  (Ex.  ix.  15)  and  is  expressly  mentioned 
in  the  next  verse. 

51.  And  smote  all  the  first-horn  in  Egypt ^  the  first-fruits  of 
strength  in  the  tents  of  Ham.  Compare  the  narrative  in  Ex 
xii.  29,  30.  The  poetical  description  of  the  first-born  in  the  last 
clause  is  derived  from  Gen.  xlix.  3  (compare  Deut.  xxi.  17),  and 
that  of  Egypt  from  Gen.  x.  6. 

52.  And  brought  outj  like  sheep^  his  people,  and  led  them,  like 
a  fiock,  in  the  wilderness.  For  the  precise  meaning  of  the  first 
verb,  see  above,  on  v.  26,  and  compare  Ex.  xii.  37.  xv.  22.  The 
guidance  in  the  wilderness  includes  that  on  both  sides  of  the  Red 
Sea,  as  appears  from  Ex.  xii.  37. 

53.  And  guided  them  in  safety.,  and  they  did  not  fear.,  and  their 
enemies  the  sea  covered.  They  did  not  fear,  because  he  removed 
all  ground  of  apprehension.  This  was  especially  the  case  at  the 
passage  of  the  Red  Sea,  Ex.  xv.  19,  to  which  there  is  clearly  a 
particular  allusion. 

54.  A'lid  hrought  them  to  his  holy  border.,  this  mountain  (which) 
his  right  hand  ivon.  The  bound  or  border  of  his  holiness,  the 
frontier  of  the  land  which  he  had  set  apart  as  holy.  This  moun- 
tain may,  agreeably  to  Hebrew  usage,  mean  this  hilly  country,  as 
it  does  in  Deut.  iii.  25.  But  there  is  no  doubt  a  particular  re- 
ference to  Mount  Zion,  in  the  wide  sense,  as  the  central  point  of 
the  theocracy,  designated  as  such  long  before  the  conquest  of 
Canaan.  See  Gen.  xxii.  14,  and  compare  Ex.  xv.  13,  17.  His 
right  hand,  the  exertion  of  his  strength.  Woii,  purchased,  not 
in  the  restricted  modern  sense  of  buying,  but  in  the  old  and  wide 
sense  of  acquiring. 

55.  And  drove  out  before  ihem  nations^  and  assigned  them  Jjf 


208  PSALM   LXXVIII. 

measure  (as)  a  heritage^  and  caused  to  dwell  in  their  tents  In* 
tribes  of  Israel.  Before  them.,  literally,  from  their  face  or  presencs. 
Nations.,  whole  nations,  not  mere  armies,  much  less  individuals. 
Assigned  them.,  literally,  made  them  fall,  by  lot  or  otherwise,  a 
common  expression  for  the  distribution  and  allotment  of  the  bad. 
See  Num.  xxxiv.  2.  The  pronoun  {them)  refers  to  the  nations, 
put  for  their  possessions,  and  especially  their  territory.  The  word 
translated  raeasure  means  primarily  a  measuring  line,  but  then  the 
portion  of  land  measured.  Hence  we  may  also  read,  assigned 
them  as  (or  for)  a  hereditary  portion.  In  the  last  c-lause,  their 
tents  means  of  course  those  of  the  Canaanites,  not  of  the  Israelites 
themselves,  which  would  make  the  clause  unmeaning. 

56.  And  they  tempted  and  resisted  God.,  Most  High.,  and  his 
testimonies  did  not  keep.  Having  brought  down  the  narrative  of 
God's  dealings  with  the  older  race  to  the  conquest  of  Canaan,  the 
Psalmist  now  resumes  his  charge  (against  the  following  generations'^ 
of  being  no  better  than  their  fathers.  To  tempt  God  and  resist 
him,  or  relet  against  him,  has  the  same  sense  as  in  vs.  18,  40.  The 
divine  title  (']i'^v?)  suggests  that  their  rebellion  was  against  the 
highest  and  the  most  legitimate  of  all  authority.  His  testimonies 
against  sin,  contained  in  his  commandments  ;  hence  the  use  of  the 
verb  keep.  The  form  of  expression,  in  both  clauses  of  this  vei'se, 
is  borrowed  from  Deut.  vi.  16,  17. 

57.  And  revolted  and  dealt  falsely  like  their  fathers  ;  they  loerc 
turned  like  a  deceitful  how.  He  here  resumes  the  thread  dropped 
at  v.  8,  for  the  purpose  of  relating  what  their  fathers  did  and  were, 
i.  e.  the  older  generation  who  came  out  of  Egypt.  Having  shown 
this  at  great  length,  he  now  reiterates  the  charge  that  their  de- 
scendants, after  the  days  of  Joshua,  were  no  better,  and  proceeds 
to  prove  it.  The  first  clause  describes  them  both  as  rebels  and 
tiaitors.  They  ivere  turned^  i.  e.,  as  some  suppose,  turned  aside, 
Bwervcd  or  twisted  in  the  archer's  hand,  so  as  to  give  a  wrong  di- 


PSALM  LXXVIII.  209 

rection  to  the  arrow.  Others  understand  it  to  mean,  they  were 
converted  (or  became)  like  a  deceitful  boiv^  i.  e.  one  which  deceives 
the  expectation,  and  fails  to  accomplish  the  design  for  which  it  is 
employed.  By  a  similar  trope,  falsehood  or  lying  is  ascribed  to 
waters  which  are  not  perennial,  but  fail  precisely  when  most 
needed.  See  Isai.  Iviii.  11.  Job  vi.  15.  The  figure  of  a  deceitful 
bow  is  borrowed  from  this  passage  by  Hosea  (vii.  16.) 

58.  And  made  him  angry  with  their  heights^  and  with  their  idols 
made  him  jealous.  Here,  for  the  first  time,  idolatry  is  mentioned 
as  the  great  national  sin  of  Israel  after  the  death  of  Joshua  and 
the  contemporary  elders.  This  sin  is  intimately  connected  with 
the  one  described  in  v.  9,  since  the  fiiilure  to  exterminate  the 
Canaanites  and  gain  complete  possession  of  the  country,  with  its 
necessary  consequence,  the  continued  residence  of  gross  idolaters 
in  the  midst  of  Israel,  could  not  fail  to  expose  the  chosen  people 
to  perpetual  temptation,  and  afford  occasion  to  their  worst  defec- 
tions. In  the  last  clause,  graven  images  are  put  for  the  whole 
class  of  idols  or  created  gods,  of  whom  the  true  God  must  be 
jealous  as  his  rivals,  as  well  as  indignant  at  the  heights  or  high- 
places,  the  hill-tops  where  these  false  gods  were  most  usually 
worshipped.  The  whole  form  of  expression  is  Mosaic.  See  Deut. 
xxxii.  16,  21,  and  compare  Ex.  xx.  5. 

59.  God  heard  and  was  indignant,  and  rejected  Israel  exceed- 
ingly. The  same  sin  is  followed  by  the  same  retribution  as  in  v. 
21.  Abhorred  is  an  inadequate  translation  of  the  last  verb, 
which  denotes  not  merely  an  internal  feeling,  but  the  outward 
exhibition  of  it.  It  means  not  merely  to  abhor,  but  to  reject  with 
abhorrence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xv.  4.  The  addition  of  the  in- 
tensive adverb,  very  or  exceedingly,  serves  at  the  same  time  to 
enhance  and  to  restrict  the  meaning  of  the  verb  which  it  qualifies. 
He  abhorred  them,  not  a  little  but  exceedingly,  and  as  a  to'ien  of  his 
doing  so,  rejected  them,  exceedingly,  yet  not  utterly  or  altogether 


r^lO  PSALM    LXXVIH. 

As  there  is  nothing  to  restrict  the  application  of  this  statement, 
we  must  understand  it  in  its  widest  sense,  as  meaning  that  the 
whole  people  was  regarded  with  displeasure,  and  punished  on  ac- 
count of  its  transgressions  during  the  ascendancy  of  Ephraiui. 

GO.  And  forsook  the  die elling -'place  of  Shilo^  the  tent  (which) 
ht  caused  to  dwell  among  men.  The  punishment  of  Ephraim,  not 
as  the  sole  offender,  but  as  the  unfaithful  leader  of  the  chosen 
people,  consisted  in  the  transfer  of  the  sanctuary,  and  the  mani- 
fested presence  of  God  in  it,  to  the  tribe  which  was  intended  from 
the  first  to  have  that  honour  (Gen.  xlix.  10),  but  whose  rights 
had  been  held  in  abeyance  during  the  experimental  chieftainship 
of  Ephraim.  The  ark,  after  it  was  taken  by  the  Philistines  (1 
Sam.  iv.  17),  never  returned  to  Shiloh,  but  was  deposited  suc- 
cessively at  Nob  (1  Sam.  xxi.  2)  and  at  Gibeon  (1  Kings  iii.  4), 
until  David  pitched  a  tabernacle  for  it  on  Mount  Zion  (2  Chron. 
XV.  1.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  1.  Caused  to  dwell  is  an  ex- 
pression used  in  the  very  same  connection  in  the  history.  See 
Josh.,  xviii.  1,  and  compare  Deut.  xii.  11,  where  the  sanctuary  is 
described  as  the  place  in  which  God  caused  his  name  to  dwell 
Among  men  implies  that  this  was  his  only  earthly  residence,  and 
hints  at  the  true  meaning  of  the  sanctuary,  as  propounded  in  the 
Law  (Ex.  XXV.  8.) 

61.  And  gave  up  to  captivity  his  strength^  and  his  heaufy  into 
thefoemanh  hand.  This  is  a  still  more  distinct  allusion  to  the 
capture  of  the  ark  by  the  Philistines  (1  Sam.  iv.  17.)  The  pro- 
-nouns  admit  of  two  constructions,  as  they  may  be  referred  either 
to  God  or  Israel.  In  the  former  case,  the  ark  is  called  his  strength, 
because  it  was  the  symbol  of  his  saving  presence  and  a  pledge 
for  the  exertion  of  his  power  to  protect  and  save  his  people.  It 
is  called  his  beauty  or  hon)ur,  as  it  marked  the  place  where  God 
was  pleased  to  manifest  his  glory.  At  the  same  time  it  was  Is- 
rael's strength,  because  it  was  considered  as  ensuring  the  divine 


PSALM    LXXVIII  211 

piotectiou  (1  Sara.  iv.  3),  and  his  glory,  because  the  possession 
of  this  symbol  was  his  highest  honour  (1  Sam.  iv.  21  )  Both 
these  senses  are  so  perfectly  appropriate,  that  it  is  not  easy  to 
choose  either,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  the  other. 

62.  And  abandoned  to  the  sword  his  people,  and  at  his  heritagt 
'j'-is  wroth.  For  the  meaning  of  the  first  verb,  see  above  on  v. 
4.S,  and  for  that  of  the  second,  on  v.  21.  To  the  sword,  to  de- 
feat and  destruction  in  war,  with  particular  reference  to  1  Sam. 
iv.  10.  The  severity  of  these  judgments  is  enhanced  by  their 
having  been  inflicted  on  his  people  and  his  heritage. 

63.  His  youths  (or  chosen  ones)  the  fire  devoured,  and  his  maid- 
ens were  not  praised.  This  may  either  mean  that  they  attracted 
no  attention  on  account  of  public  troubles,  or  that  they  were  not 
praised  in  nuptial  songs,  implying  what  is  expressed  in  the  text  of 
the  English  Bible,  to  wit,  that  they  ■zf  ere  not  given  to  marriage. 
The  fire  may  be  a  figure  for  destructive  war,  as  in  Num.  xxi.  28. 
The  pronoun  (his)  refers  to  Israel  as  a  whole  or  an  ideal  person, 

64.  His  priests  by  the  sword  fell,  and  his  widows  weep  not.  The 
priests  are  particularly  mentioned  because,  at  the  time  specially 
referred  to,  the  chief  magistracy  was  vested  in  a  sacerdotal  family, 
and  because  Hophni  and  Phinehas,  the  sons  of  Eli,  were  among  the 
first  victims  of  the  great  calamity  in  question.  See  1  Sam.  iv. 
11,  17.  In  the  last  clause  there  seems  to  be  allusion  to  the  death 
of  Phinehas'  wife,  whose  sorrow  for  her  husband  and  herself  was 
lost  in  sorrow  for  the  departing  glory  of  Israel  (1  Sam.  iv.  21.) 
In  a  wider  sense,  the  words  may  represent  the  whole  class  of  Is- 
raelitish  widows  as  not  weeping  for  their  husbands,  either  because 
they  were  engrossed  by  their  own  perils  and  personal  sufferings, 
or,  as  some  interpreters  suppose,  because  the  bodies  of  the  slain 
yfQVQ  absent,  and  there  could  not  therefore  be  a  formal  mourning 


212  PSALM  LXXA'lIl. 

accordance  with  the  oriental  usage.     The  last  words  of  this  verse 
are  copied  in  Job  xxvii.  15. 

65.  Thcnawoke^  as  a  sleeper  ^  the  Lord,  as  Oj  hero  rejoicing  from 
wine.  His  apparent  connivance  or  indifference  to  what  was  pass- 
ing was  abruptly  exchanged  for  new  and  terrible  activity.  Th" 
Lord^  the  sole  and  rightful  sovereign,  both  of  men  in  general  a.  d 
of  Israel  in  particular.  A  hero.,  mighty  man,  or  warrior.  S.;o 
above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  8.  From  wine  is  not  to  be  construed  with 
awoke  or  awakes  understood,  but  with  rejoicing^  exhilarated, 
cheered  by  wine. 

66.  And  he  struck  his  foes  back  (and)  disgrace  of  eternity  gave 
them.  The  idea  of  di'iving  his  assailants  back,  repelling  or  re- 
pulsmg  them,  is  worthier  in  itself  and  better  suited  to  the  context 
than  the  one  expressed  in  the  English  Bible.  Perpetual  dis- 
honour  was  in  fact  the  doom  of  the  Philistines  from  the  time  of 
the  events  in  question.  The  successes  particularly  meant  are 
those  of  Saul  and  David.      Gave  them,  or  to  them,  as  their  portion 

67.  And  rejected  the  tent  of  Joseph,  and  the  tribe  of  Ephraim 
iid  not  choose.  This  is  the  completion  and  specification  of  the 
statement  in  v.  60.  Even  after  the  punishment  of  Israel,  as  a 
whole,  had  ceased,  Ephraim,  though  still  a  member  of  the  chosen 
people,  was  deprived  of  the  ascendancy,  of  which  he  had  proved 
himself  unworthy,  and  by  means  of  which  he  had  betrayed  the 
whole  race  into  grievous  sin.  The  tent  or  house  of  Joseph  (the 
progenitor  of  Ephraim)  is  particularly  mentioned,  because  the 
honour  taken  from  that  family  was  the  honour  of  God's  dwelling 
in  the  midst  of  them.  The  last  clause  might  be  rendered,  and 
the  tribe  of  Ephraim  no  (longer)  chose.  But  the  original  contains 
a  simple  negative  without  qualification  ;  and  according  to  the 
scriptural  account,  Ephraim  never  was  the  chosen  tribe,  but  only 
nJlowcd  to  act  as  such,  for  a  particular  purpose,  just  as  the  experi- 


PSALM    LXXVIIl.  213 

mental  reign  of  Saul  afterwards  preceded  the  commencement  of 
the  true  theocratical  monarchy  in  David. 

68.  A7id  chose  the  tribe  of  Judah^  the  Mount  Zion  which  hi 
loved.  He  now  assigned  the  visible  pre-eminence  to  Judah,  who 
had  long  enjoyed  it  in  the  divine  purpose  (Gen.  xlix.  10.)  Zion 
is  mentioned  as  the  capital  of  Judah,  the  place  of  the  sanctuary, 
and  the  seat  of  the  theocratic  monarchy.  The  name,  as  usual  in 
this  book,  does  not  signify  the  single  eminence  so  called,  but  the 
entire  height  on  which  Jerusalem  was  built. 

69.  Aiid  built  like  high  (places)  his  sanctuary ^  like  the  earth 
(which)  he  founded  forever.  Some  give  the  adjective  in  the 
first  clause  the  abstract  sense  of  heights.^  which  it  never  has  in 
usage.  Others  supply  heavens^  but  the  construction  most  agree- 
able to  usage  is  that  which  supplies  hills  or  moinitains.  The 
sanctuary  is  then  described  as  being,  not  externally  but  spiritual- 
ly, lofty  as  mountains  and  enduring  as  the  earth. 

70.  A7id  chose  David  (as)  his  servant.^  and  took  him  from  the 
sheep-folds.  Having  spoken  of  the  tribe  and  the  particular  lo- 
cality preferred  to  Ephraim  and  Shiloh,  he  now  brings  into  view 
the  personal  instrument  or  agent,  by  whom  it  pleased  God  that 
the  theocratic  kingdom  should  be  founded.  He  did  not  choose 
David  because  he  was  his  servant,  i.  e.  a  good  man,  but  to  be  his 
servant,  in  the  same  pregnant  and  emphatic  sense  in  which  the 
title  is  applied  to  him  in  Ps.  xviii.  1.  The  sovereignty  of  the 
choice  is  indicated  by  the  humble  occupation  and  condition  from 
which  he  was  promoted. 

71.  From  behind  the  suckling  {ewes)  he  b'oughi  him.,  to  feed  Jacob 
Us  people  and  Israel  his  heritage.  From  behind  them,  i.  e.  from 
following  and  watching  them  with  tender  care,  one  of  the  chief 
duties  of  a  shepherd.     The  next  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  participle, 


214  PSALM    LXXVlll. 

and  means,  nursing,  giving  suck.  The  sense  is  incorrectly  given 
in  the  common  version  of  this  place,  and  ambiguously  in  that  of 
Isai  xl  11.  To  feed  expresses  only  one  part  of  the  meaning  of 
the  Hebrew  verb,  which  signifies  to  do  the  work  or  exercise  the 
ofBcc  of  a  shepherd.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlix.  14  (13.)  The 
contrast  presented  is,  that  he  who  had  spent  his  youth  in  tending 
sheep  was  now  to  be  the  shepherd  of  a  nation,  nay  of  the  choser 
people,  of  the  church,  the  heritage  of  God  himself.  To  this  pas- 
sage, and  those  portions  of  the  history  on  which  it  is  founded 
(2  Sam.  vii.  8.  1  Chron.  xi.  2),  may  be  traced  the  constant  use 
of  pastoral  images,  in  the  later  Scriptures,  to  express  the  relation 
which  subsists  between  the  Church  and  Christ,  as  its  Chief  Shep- 
herd, and  his  faithful  ministers  as  his  representatives  and 
deputies. 

72.  And  he  has  fed  them  after  his  integrity  of  hearty  and  in  the 
skill  {or prudence)  of  his  hands  will  lead  them  (still.)  This  is  no 
sudden  interruption  of  the  psalm,  but  the  conclusion  to  which  all 
was  tending  from  the  first.  At  the  same  time  it  implies  that  when 
the  psalm  was  written  David  was  still  reigning  and  expected  to 
reign  longer.  Besides  the  divine  attestation  here  afforded  to  hig 
theocratical  fidelity,  the  verse  may  be  regarded  as  a  beautiful 
tribute  to  the  good  and  great  King  from  his  chief  musician  and 
fellow  seer.  To  leadj  in  the  last  clause,  is  to  lead  or  tend  a  flock, 
and,  with  the  parallel  term /eec?,  makes  up  the  full  description  of  a 
shepherd. 


PSALM    LXXIX  215 


PSALM    LXXIX. 

This  psalm  belongs  to  the  same  period  with  Ps.  Ixxiv,  perhaps 
that  of  the  Babylonish  conquest,  and  contains  a  description  of  the 
sufferings  of  the  chosen  people,  vs.  1 — 4,  a  prayer  for  deliverance, 
vs.  5 — 12,  and  a  promise  of  thanksgiving,  v.  13. 

1.  A  Psalm.  By  Asaph.  Oh  God,  gentiles  have  come  into  thy 
heritage  ;  they  have  defiled  thy  holy  temple  ;  they  have  turned  Je- 
rusalem  to  heaps.  The  intrusion  of  heathen  into  the  sanctuary 
was  its  worst  dishonour.  They  have  placed  Jerusalem  for  heaps, 
or  as  a  heap  of  ruins.  This  includes  the  destruction  of  the  tem- 
ple.    Compare  Ps.  Ixxiv.  4. 

2.  T^ey  have  given  the  corpse  of  thy  servants  (ns)  food  to  tht 
bird  of  the  heavens,  the  flesh  of  thy  saints  to  the  [wild)  beast  of  the 
earth.  A  common  description  of  extensive  and  promiscuous  car- 
nage. The  words  translated  corpse,  hird^  beast,  are  all  collec- 
tives. The  last  has  here  its  most  specific  and  distinctive  sense  as 
denoting  beasts  of  prey.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  11  (10.) 
Ixxiv.  19. 

3.  They  have  shed  their  blood  like  water  round  about  Jerusalem 
and  there  is  none  burying,  or  none  to  bury  them.      There  is  no 
period  in  the  history  of  ancient  Israel,  to  which  these  terms  can 


o]jj  PSALM    LXXIX. 

be  applied  without  extravagance,  except  that  of  the  Babylonian 
conquest. 

4.  We  have  been  (^or  become)  a  contempt  to  our  neighbours^  d 
scorn  and  derision  to  those  round  about  us.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xliv.  14  (13),  where  the  very  same  expressions  are  employed. 

5.  Unto  ichat  (point).,  until  when,  how  long,  Jehovah^  ivilt  thou 
he  angry  forever.^  will  burn  like  Jire  thy  zeal  (or  jealousy  ?) 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xiii.  2  (1.)  Ixxiv.  1,  10  ;  with 
the  second,  Ex.  xx.  5.  Deut.  xxix.  19  (20.)  Ps.  Ixxviii.  58. 

6.  Pour  out  thy  wrath  against  the  nations  which  have  not  k7iown 
thee^  and  upon  kingdoms  which  thy  name  have  not  invoked.  This 
is  commonly  explained  as  a  prayer  for  divine  judgments  on  the 
nations  which  combined  for  the  destruction  of  Judah  (2  Kings 
xxiv.  2).  But  it  seems  to  be-  rather  an  expostulation  and  com- 
plaint that  God  had  made  no  difference  between  his  own  people  and 
the  heathen.  As  if  he  had  said,  If  thou  must  pour  out  thy  wrath, 
let  it  rather  be  on  those  who  neither  know  nor  worship  thee  than 
on  thine  own  peculiar  people. 

7.  For  he  hath  devoured  Jacob^  and  his  dwelling  (or  his  pasture' 
ground)  they  have  laid  waste.  The  singular  verb  in  the  first 
clause  relates  to  the  chief  enemy,  the  plural  in  the  last  to  his  con- 
federates. The  wide  sense  of  dwelling  and  the  narrower  one  of 
pasture  are  both  authorized  by  usage.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiii. 
2.  Ixv.  13  (12.)  Ixxiv.  20. 

8.  Remember  not  against  us  the  iniquities  of  former  {genera- 
tions) ;  make  haste^  let  thy  compassions  meet  us.,  for  we  are  reduced 
ix:ecdi7igly.  Against  us,  literally,  as  to  us,  respecting  us,  which, 
m  this  connection,  must  mean  to  our  disadvantage  or  our  condem- 
nation.    Former  iniquities  is  scarcely  a  grammatical  construction 


FSALM    LXXrX.  217 

of  the  Hebrew  words  usually  so  translated.  The  adjective,  when 
absolutely  used,  always  refers  to  persous  and  means  ancestors  or 
ancients.  Personal  and  hereditary  guilt  are  not  exclusive  but 
augmentative  of  one  another.  The  sons  merely  fill  up  the  ini- 
quities of  their  fathers.  The  verb  hasten  (^n)p)  may  be  either 
imperative  or  infinitive.  If  the  latter,  it  qualifies  the  following 
verb,  as  in  the  English  version,  let  thy  tender  mercies  speedily 
prevent  us.  For  the  meaning  of  this  last  verb,  s*ee  above,  on  Ps. 
xxi.  4  (3.)  Reduced^  weakened,  brought  low,  both  in  strength 
and  condition.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  2  (IJ,  where  the  cognate 
adjective  is  used.  It  was  probably  the  verse  before  us  that  de- 
termined the  position  of  this  psalm,  in  close  connection  with  Ps 
Ixxviii,  the  great  theme  of  which  is  the  iniquity  of  former  gener- 
ations. 

9.  Help  us^  oh  God  of  our  salvation^  on  account  of  the  glory  of 
thy  name  ;  and  set  us  free  and  pardon  our  sins  for  the  sake  of  thy 
(own)  name.  The  title,  God  of  our  salvation.,  is  expressive  of  a 
covenant  obligation  to  protect  his  people,  as  well  as  of  protection 
and  deliverance  experienced  already.  O71  account.,  literally,  yor 
the  word.,  or  as  we  say  in  English  for  the  sake^  which  is  used 
above,  however,  to  translate  a  different  Hebrew  word.  The 
glory  of  thy  name.,  to  maintain  and  vindicate  the  honour  of  thy 
attributes  as  heretofore  revealed  in  act.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v. 
12  (11.)  xxiii.  3.  Set  us  free.,  deliver  us,  from  our  present  suf- 
ferings and  the  power  of  our  enemies.  Pardon  our  sins,  liter- 
ally, make  atonement  for  them,  i.  e.  forgive  them  for  the  sake 
of  the  expiation  which  thou  hast  thyself  provided.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  38.  It- is  characteristic  of  the  ancient  saints  to  ask 
God^s  favour,  not  for  their  own  sake  merely,  but  for  the  promo- 
tion of  his  glory. 

10.  Wherefore  should  the  nations  say,  Where  (is)  their  God? 
Known  among  the  natlonSj  in  our  sight,   he  the  avenging  of  the 

VOL.!  .  10 


218  PSALM    LXXIX. 

hlood  of  thy  servants^  the  {hlood)  poured  out  (or  shed)^  as  was  de- 
scribed above,  in  v.  3.  This  argument  in  favour  of  God's  inter- 
position^ founded  on  the  false  conclusions  which  his  enemies 
would  draw  from  his  refusal,  is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  the 
Pentateuch.  See  Ex.  xxxii.  12.  Num.  xiv.  13—16.  Deut.  ix.  28, 
and  compare  Joel  ii.  17,  from  which  the  words  before  us  are 
d'rectly  borrowed.  Where  is  their  God^  the  invisible,  spiritual 
being  whom  they  worship,  but  who  cannot  save  them  from  ex- 
ternal dangers  }  Or  the  meaning  may  be,  where  is  the  proof  of 
that  almighty  power,  and  that  love  for  his  own  people,  of  which  they 
have  so  often  and  so  loudly  boasted  }  The  English  Bible  makes 
the  verb  in  the  second  clause  agree  with  God  {let  him  he  known) ^ 
and  supplies  a  preposition  before  vengeance  {hy  the  revetigivg.) 
But  the  ancient  versions,  followed  hj  the  Prayer  Book  and  the 
best  modern  interpreters,  construe  the  verb  and  noun  together 
(known  be  the  avenging.)  The  diversity  of  gender  may  be  easily 
reduced  to  the  general  law  of  Hebrew  syntax,  that  when  the 
verb  precedes  its  subject,  and  especially  when  separated  from  it, 
the  former  may  assume  the  masculine  form,  not  as  such,  but  as 
'h?  primitive  and  simplest  form.  In  our  sight ^  literally,  to  our 
eyeSj  just  as  we  say  in  English  to  our  faces.  This  aggravating 
circumstance  is  borrowed  from  Deut.  vi.  22,  and  the  idea  of 
avenging  blood  from  Deut.  xxxii.  43. 

11.  Let  the  sighing  of  the  prisoner  come  before  thee,  according  to 
the  greatness  of  thine  arm^  suffer  to  survive  the  sons  of  deatfi  (or 
of  mortality.)  The  nation  is  here  viewed  as  an  individual  captive, 
not  without  reference  to  the  literal  captivity  and  exile  occasioned 
by  the  Babylonian  conquest,  and  with  evident  historical  allusion  to 
tlie  bondage  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  from  the  account  of  which  (Ex, 
ii.  23 — 25)  some  of  the  expressions  here  are  borrowed.  Comt 
before  t/i/'.e^  reach  thee,  and  attract  thy  notice.  Compare  the  op- 
posite expression  in  Isai.  i.  23.  The  arm,  as  usual,  is  the  symbol 
of  exerted  strength.     See  above,  on   Ps.  x.  15.  xxxvii.  17.  xliv 


PSALM    LXXIX.  219 

4  (3.)  The  whole  phrase  is  a  Mosaic  one.  See  Ex.  xv.  16 
aud  compare  Num.  xiv.  19.  Deut.  iii.  24.  The  last  verb  in  the 
sentence  means  to  have  behind  or  over,  to  cause  or  suffer  to  re- 
main. See  Ex.  x.  15.  xii.  10.  Isai.  i.  9.  The  last  noun  in  He- 
brew occurs  only  here,  but  is  an  obvious  derivative  from  (m)2) 
death,  bearing  perhaps  the  same  relation  to  it  that  mortalitas  sus- 
tains to  mors.  According  to  a  well  known  oriental  idiom,  the 
whole  phrase  denotes  dying  men,  or  those  about  to  die,  or  more 
specifically,  those  condemned  or  doomed  to  death. 

12.  And  render  to  our  neighbours  sevenfold  into  their  bosom 
their  contempt  (with)  which  they  have  contemned  thee,  Lord!  The 
first  verb  is  a  causative  and  means  to  bring  back  or  cause  to  re- 
turn. See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  10.  The  neighbours  are  those, 
mentioned  in  v.  4,  and  the  allusion  here  at  least  includes  the  ex- 
pression of  contemptuous  incredulity  in  v.  10.  Sevenfold,  a 
common  idiomatic  term  denoting  frequent  repetition  or  abundance. 
Se-e  above,  on  Ps.  xii.  7  (6.)  Into  the  bosom.,  an  expression  which 
originally  seems  to  have  had  reference  to  the  practice  of  cariyin<? 
and  holding  things  in  the  lap  or  the  front  fold  of  the  flowing 
oriental  dress,  has  in  usage  the  accessory  sense  of  retribution  or 
retaliation.  See  my  note  on  Isai.  Ixv.  6,  7,  and  compare  Jer. 
xxxii.  18.  Luke  vi.  38.  The  cognate  noun  and  verb,  translated 
contempt  and  contemned,  denote  not  the  mere  internal  feeling,  but 
the  oral  expression  of  it  by  revilings,  scoffs,  and  insults.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  11  (10.)  Ixix.  10  (9.)  The  Lord  at  the  con- 
clusion is  by  no  means  a  mere  expletive,  but  aggravates  the  sin 
of  these  despisers  by  describing  it  as  committed  against  then-  right- 
ful sovereign. 

13.  And  we,  thy  people  and  flock  of  thy  pasture,  will  give  thanki 
to  thee  forever,  to  generation  and  generation  will  we  recount  thy 
f  raise.  Some  interpreters  needlessly  make  two  distinct  proposi^ 
tions,  we  (are)  thy  people   (and  therefore)  icill  give  thanks,  etc 


220  PSALM    LXXX. 

The  Jlock  of  thy  pasture,  that  which  thou  feedest,  that  of  whicl 
thou  art  the  shepherd.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiv.  1 .  Ixxviii.  70 — 72. 
Forever,  literally,  to  eternity.  The  following  words,  though 
thrown  into  the  first  clause  by  the  masoretic  interpunction,  belong 
to  the  second,  as  appears  from  the  parallel  structui'e  of  the  sen- 
tence. 


PSALM     LXXX. 

This  psalm  was  probably  occasioned  by  the  overthrow  and 
deportation  of  the  ten  tribes,  and  expresses  the  feelings  of  the 
ancient  church  in  view  of  that  event.  Besides  a  title  or  inscrip- 
tion, V.  1,  it  contains  a  lamentation  or  complaint,  in  reference  to 
the  strokes  which  had  befallen  Israel,  vs.  2 — S  (1 — 7)  ;  an  exqui- 
site picture  of  the  vocation  and  original  condition  of  the  chosen 
race,  under  the  image  of  a  transplanted  vine,  vs.  9 — 14  (8 — 13)  ; 
and  an  earnest  prayer  that  God  would  again  have  mercy  on  his 
afflicted  people,  vs.  15 — 20  (14 — 19.)  The  structure  of  "-^ 2 
psalm  is  very  regular,  deriving  a  strophical  character  from  the 
recurrence  of  a  burden  or  refrain  in  vs.  4  (3),  8  (7),  20  (19.) 
The  disputed  questions,  as  to  the  occasion  and  design  of  the  com- 
position, will  be  considered  in  the  exposition  of  the  several  verses. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  As  to  lilies.  A  Testimony.  By 
Ahaph.  A  Psalm.  The  first  and  last  of  these  inscriptions  show 
that  the  composition  was  intended  to  be  used  in  public  worship 
I'hc  preposition  before  lilies  indicates  the  theme  or  subject,  as  in 
Ps.  V.  1.  Lilies,  as  in  Ps.  xlv.  1.  Ix.  1.  Ixix.  1,  probably  means 
loveliness,  dclightfulness,  as   an  attribute  of  the  diviue  favour 


PSALM   LXXX.  221 

whkh  is  here  implored.  Testimony  is  a  term  commonly  applied 
to  the  divine  law,  as  a  testimony  against  sin,  and  in  such  cases  as 
the  present  indicates  the  divine  authority  under  which  the  Psalmist 
writes.      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  1. 

2.  She'pherd  of  Israel^  give  ear^  leading  Joseph  Wee  a  flock 
sitting  {o7i)  the  cherubim^  shine  forth  !  The  description  of  Je- 
hovah as  the  Shepherd  of  Israel  is  peculiarly  appropriate  in  this 
connection  because  borrowed  from  Jacob's  blessing  upon  Joseph, 
Gen.  xlviii.  15.  xlix.  24.  According  to  some  interpreters,  Joseph 
is  simply  a  poetical  equivalent  to  Israel^  the  son  being  put  upon 
a  level  with  the  father  in  the  usage  of  the  language,  on  account 
of  his  historical  pre-eminence  and  his  being  the  progenitor  of  h^jo 
of  the  twelve  tribes.  According  to  another  view,  Joseph  denotes 
the  ten  tribes  as  distinguished  from  the  kingdom  of  Judah,  which 
is  rendered  more  probable  by  the  specification  of  certain  tribes 
in  the  next  verse.  On  this  hypothesis,  the  verse  before  us  is  an 
invocation  of  Jehovah,  as  the  patron  and  protector,  not  of  Judah 
merely  but  of  all  Israel,  including  the  posterity  of  Joseph  and  the 
tribes  politically  allied  to  them.  Dwelling  (between)  the  Cheru- 
bimy  or  sitting  (enthroned  upon)  the  Cherubim,  a  token  of  supe- 
riority to  all  his  creatures.      See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  11  (10.) 

3  (2.)  Before  Ephraim  and  Benjamin  and  Manasseh  arouse 
thy  strength  and  come  to  save  us.  The  first  clause  alludes  to  the 
encampment  and  march  through  the  wilderness,  in  which  these 
three  tribes  always  went  together,  as  the  descendants  of  one 
mother  -(Gen.  xliv.  20.  Num.  ii.  18—24.  x.  22—24.)  It  has 
commonly  been  inferred  from  1  Kings  xii.  21,  that  the  tribe  of 
Benjamin  adhered  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  But  Hengstenberg 
has  made  it  highly  probable,  at  least,  that  those  words  relate  only 
to  the  dwellers  in  Jerusalem  and  the  immediately  circumjacent 
country  ;  that  the  tribe,  as  such,  was  reckoned  one  of  the  ten 
tribes,  among  which  Simeon  was  not  included,  because,  in  fulfil 


222  PSALM    LXXX. 

ment  of  Jacob's  prophecy  fGen.  xlix  7),  they  had  no  distiiKjt 
or  compact  territory  of  their  own,  but  certain  towns  within  the 
boundary  of  Judah  (Josh.  xix.  1 — 9.)  Hence  we  are  told  ex- 
pressly and  repeatedly  that  in  the  great  schism  after  the  death  of 
Solomon,  but  one  tribe  remained  faithful  to  the  house  of  David 
(1  Kings  xi.  13,  32,  36.  xii.  20),  i.  e.  one  complete  tribe,  having 
a  definite  and  independent  share  in  the  allotment  of  the  land. 
That  Fenjamin  should  take  part  with  Ephraim  and  Manasseli 
rather  than  with  Judah,  might  have  been  expected  from  the  near 
affinity  and  mutual  affection  of  the  sons  of  Rachel,  and  from  the 
jealousy  which  must  have  been  excited  by  the  transfer  of  the 
crown  from  Saul,  a  Benjamite,  to  David,  a  Jew.  The  same  thing 
incidentally  appears  from  such  passages  as  2  Sam.  xix.  21  (20), 
where  Shimei,  a  Benjamite,  speaks  of  himself  as  representing 
the  whole  house  of  Joseph.  If  this  be  admitted  or  assumed, 
the  mention  of  Benjamin  with  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  in 
the  verse  before  us,  far  from  invalidating,  seems  to  confirm  the 
application  of  the  passage  to  the  kingdom  of  the  Ten  Tribes,  and 
that  of  the  whole  psalm  to  their  overthrow  and  deportation  by  the 
Assyrians.  Thus  understood,  the  verse  before  us  is  a  prayer,  that 
God  would  again  march  at  the  head  of  the  "  camp  of  Ephraim,^' 
as  he  did  of  old.  Arouse  thy  strength^  awake  from  thy  present 
state  of  seeming  inaction  and  indifference.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xliv.  24  (23.)  Ixxviii.  65.  Come,  literally  go,  which  may  mean 
go  forth,  march  ;  but  see  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi  9  (8.)  To  save  us, 
literally, /br  salvation  to  us. 

4  (3.)  Ok  God,  restore  us,  and  let  thy  face  shine  ;  and^let  ws  he 
saved/  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  would  suggest  two  ideas  to 
a  Hebrew  reader,  both  of  which  are  here  appropriate.  The  fiist 
is  that  of  a  literal  bringing  back  from  exile  or  captivity  ;  the  other 
that  of  restoration  to  a  former  state,  without  regard  to  change  of 
place  or  other  local  circumstances.  In  the  case  before  us,  the 
general  and  figurative  sense  of  restoration  includes  that  of  literal 


PSALM    LXXX.  223 

return.  The  church  prays  to  be  restored  to  her  integrity  and 
normal  state,  by  the  redemption  of  the  part  which  had  gone  into 
captivity.  This  prayer  was  substantially  fulfilled  in  the  return 
of  many  members  of  the  ten  tribes  with  Judah  from  the  Baby- 
lonish exile,  while  the  tribes  themselves,  as  organized  bodies,  and 
the  apostate  kingdom  which  they  constituted,  ceased  to  exist. 
The  petition,  cause  thy  face  to  s/iine^  i.  e.  look  upon  us  with  a 
favourable  countenance,  is  borrowed  from  the  sacerdotal  blessing, 
Num.  vi.  25.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  7  (6.)  xxxi.  17  (16.)  The 
last  verb  in  the  verse  may  also  be  explained  as  an  expression  of 
strong  confidence,  we  shall  be  saved,  which  really  involves  the 
subjunctive  sense  preferred  by  some  interpreters,  that  we  may  he 
saved.  This  sentence,  which  is  solemnly  repeated  at  the  close  of 
vs.  4,  20  (3,  19),  is  thereby  marked  as  the  theme  or  key-note  of 
the  whole  composition. 

5  (4.)  Jehovah,  God,  (God  of)  Hosts,  how  long  dost  thou, 
^?noke  against  the  prayer  of  thy  people  ?  The  accumulation  of 
divine  names  involves  an  appeal  to  the  perfections  which  they  in- 
dicate, as  so  many  arguments  or  reasons  why  the  prayer  should 
be  favourably  heard  and  answered.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  1,  and 
for  the  meaning  of  the  third  title,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  10.  How 
long,  literally,  until  when  ?  The  verb  is  preterite  in  form  {hast 
tJiou  smoked^)  implying  that  the  state  of  things  complained  of  had 
already  long  existed.  Smoke  is  here  (as  in  Ps.  Ixxiv.  1)  put  for 
fire,  the  common  emblem  of  divine  wrath,  for  the  sake  of  an 
allusion  to  the  smoke  from  the  altar  of  incense,  the  appointed 
Bymbol  of  the  prayers  of  God's  people.  See  Lev.  xvi.  13,  and 
compare  Ps.  cxli.  2.  Isai.  vi.  4.  Rev.  v.  8.  viii.  3,  4.  There  is 
then  a  tacit  antithesis  between  the  two  significations  of  the  sym- 
bol. The  smoke  of  God's  wrath,  and  that  of  his  people's  prayers, 
jf-e  presented  in  a  kind  of  conflict. 

6  (5.)  Thou  hast  made  them  eat    tear-hreu.d.    and    made  them 


224  rSALM    LXXX. 

driTik  of  tears  a  tierce  (or  measure.)  The  noun  tear  in  Hebrew 
is  commonly  collective,  but  the  singular  and  plural  forms  are 
here  combined.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  7  (6.)  xxxix.  13  (12.) 
Ivi.  9  (8.)  The  same  strong  figure  of  tears  as  nourishment  oc- 
curs above,  Ps.  xlii,  4  (3.J  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  means  a 
measure  which  is  the  third  of  another  measure,  thus  correspond- 
ing to  the  old  and  wide  sense  of  the  English  tierce.  See  mj  note 
on  Isai.  xl.  12.     Measure  here  denotes  abundance. 

7  (6.)  Thou  mak est  us  a,  strife  unto  our  neighbours,  and  our 
enemies  amuse  themselves  (at  our  expense  )  The  future  verbs  im- 
ply a  probable  continuance  of  this  humiliating  treatment  unless 
God  interpose  to  put  an  end  to  it,  and  thus  suggest  a  reason  for 
his  doing  so.  Makest  us,  literally,  puttest,  settest  up.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  14  (13.)  A  strife,  a  subject  of  contention, 
perhaps  in  reference  to  the  emulous  desire  of  their  neighbours  to 
insult  and  aggravate  their  sufferings.  Here,  as  in  Ps.  xliv.  14  (13.) 
Ixxix.  4,  these  neighbours  are  the  circumjacent  nations,  who 
always  triumphed  in  the  time  of  Israel's  calam-ities  (Am.  i.  9,  11 
Obad.  12.)  The  literal  translation  of  the  last  words  is  wiU  mock 
(or  scoff)  for  them,  i.  e.  for  themselves,  for  their  own  gratifica- 
tion, and  at  their  own  discretion,  as  they  will. 

8  (7.)  Oh  God,  (God  of)  Hosts,  restore  us,  and  let  thy  fact 
shine,  and  let  us  he  saved !  See  above,  on  v.  4  (3.)  The  only 
variation  in  the  case  before  us  is  the  addition  of  a  second  divine 
title,  implying  God's  supremacy  above  the  hosts  of  heaven,  both 
-material  and  spiritual,  and  thus  indirectly  urging  a  new  argument 
for  being  heard  and  answered.     See  above,  on  v.  5  (4.) 

9  (8.)  A  vine  out  of  Egypt  thou  transplantest,  thou  drivest  uut 
nations  and  plantcst  it.  There  is  a  twofold  usage  of  the  first  verb 
in  Hebrew,  which  imparts  peculiar  force  and  beauty  to  the  sen- 
tence.    Its  primary  meaning,  to  pluck  up,  is  strictly  appropriate 


PSALM   LXXX.  225 

to  the  act  of  transplanting,  while  its  secondary  but  more  usual 
sense  of  moving  an  encampment,  marching,  is  equally  appropri- 
ate to  the  removal  of  the  nation  which  the  vine  here  represents, 
and  is  actually  so  applied  in  Ps.  Ixxviii.  52  above,  as  well  as  in 
the  history  itself,  Ex.  xii.  37.  xv.  22.  The  next  verb  is  also  used 
in  Ps.  Ixxviii.  55  and  Ex.  xxiii.  28.  xxxiii.  2.  xxxiv.  11.  The 
figure  of  planting  occurs  above,  in  Ps.  xliv.  3  (2),  that  of  a  vine 
in  Isai.  v.  1 — 7.  The  points  of  comparison  are  probably  as- 
siduous culture,  luxuriant  growth,  and  fruitfulness.  The  argument 
involved  is  that  by  forsaking  Israel  God  would  be  undoing  his 
own  work.     Compare  Jer.  xlv.  4. 

10  (9.)  Thou  didst  char  (the  way)  before  it^  and  it  took  root 
and  filled  the  land.  The  first  word  means  to  clear  by  the  re- 
moval of  obstructions.  See  Gen.  xxiv.  31.  Lev  xiv.  36,  and 
compare  my  notes  on  Isai.  xl.  3.  Ivii.  14.  Ixii.  10.  The  sense 
may  here  be,  thou  didst  char  (the  ground),  i.  e.  from  weeds  and 
Btones  (compare  Tsai.  v.  2)  before  it,  i.  e.  to  make  room  for  it  or 
prepare  a  place  for  it.  look  root,  literally,  rooted  its  roots,  the 
cognate  verb  and  noun  being  combined  by  a  common  Hebrew 
idiom.     See  my  note  on  Isai.  xxvii.  6. 

11  (10.)  Covered  were  the  mountains  {with)  its  shadow,  and 
with  its  bra7iches  the  cedars  of  God.  This  is  an  amplification  and 
poetical  exaggeration  of  the  last  words  of  v.  10  (9.)  So  com- 
pletely did  it  fill  the  land  that  its  shadow  was  cast  upon  the 
highest  hill-tops,  and  its  tendrils  overran  the  loftiest  trees. 
Cedars  of  God,  i.  e.  in  their  kind  the  noblest  products  of  his 
power,  th-?  attribute  suggested  by  C'z^\  the  divine  name  here 
used  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  7  (6.)  Some  interpreters  sup- 
pose the  southern  range  of  mountains  west  of  Jordan,  sometimes 
called  Mount  Judah  or  the  Highlands  of  Judah,  to  be  here 
specifically  meant  and  contrasted  with  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  the 
northern  frontier  of  the  Land  of  Promise,  just  as  Lebanon  and 
Kadesh  are  contrasted  in  Ps.  xxix.  5 — 8.     That  Lebanon,  though 

10* 


226  '     PSALM  LXXX. 

not  expressly  mentioned,  is  referred  to,  appears  probable  from 
the  analogy  of  Ps.  xxix.  5.  xcii.  13.  civ.  16.  The  literal  fact  con- 
veyed by  all  these  figures  is  the  one  prophetically  stated  in  Gen 
xxviii.  14.  Deut.  xi.  24.  Jos.  i.  4. 

12  (11.)  It  sends  forth  its  houghs  to  the  sea^  and  to  th>.  river  its 
shoots  (or  suckers.)  Compare  the  description  in  Isai.  xvi.  8.  If, 
the  north  and  south  are  indicated  in  the  preceding  verse,  the 
other  cardinal  points  may  here  be  represented  by  the  Mediter- 
ranean and  the  Euphrates. 

13  (12.)  WTiy  hast  thou  broken  down  its  walls  (or  hedges),  and 
all  pluck  it  that  pass  by  the  iimy  ?  See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix. 
41,  42  (40,  41 ),  and  compare  Isai.  v.  5.  The  last  words  are  de- 
scriptive of  ihe  hostile  powers  of  the  heathen  world,  with  par- 
ticular reference  to  the  neighbours  of  v.  6  (5.) 

14  (13.)  Th£,  boar  out  oj  the  wood  doth  waste  it,  and  the  beast  of 
tliz  field  J ezds  upon  it.  For  the  precise  sense  of  the  word  trans- 
lated beast,  see  above,  on  Ps.  1.  11,  the  only  other  place  where  it 
occurs  in  such  an  application,  being  thus  peculiar  to  the  psalms 
which  bear  the  name  of  Asaph.  The  essential  idea  conveyed  by 
the  figures  of  this  verse  is  that  of  fierce,  and  greedy  enemies.  If 
any  more  specific  explanation  be  admissible,  the  wild  boar  may 
denote  the  Assyrian  power,  and  the  parallel  term  its  allies  and 
dependents.  Feeds  upon  it,  as  a  sheep  upon  its  pasture.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  3. 

15  (14.)  Oh  God,  (God  .f)  Hosts,  pray  return,  look  frovt. 
lieaven  and  see,  and  visit  this  vine.  The  expostulation  and  com- 
plaint are  followed  by  an  earnest  prayer.  Pray  returji  is  used 
to  represent  (i^:)  the  Hebrew  particle  of  entreaty,  expressed  in 
the  English  Bible  by  a  circumlocution  {we  beseech  thee.)  The 
prayer  that  God  will  return,  implies  that  the  evils  just  complained 


PSALM   LXXX  227 

of  ^ere  occasioned  by  his  absence.  Visit ^  manifest  thy  preseuca 
and  thy  favourable  disposition  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4.) 
This  fine,  Israel,  the  church  or  chosen  people,  which,  though 
robbed  of  some  of  its  luxuriant  branches,  still  lives  and  is  yet  to 
bear  abundant  fruit. 

16  (15.)  And  sustain  what  thy  right  hand  has  planted^  and  over 
the  child  thou  hast  reared  for  thyself  {do  thou  watch,  or  extend 
thy  protection.)  The  common  version  of  the  first  words  {and  the 
vineyard)  is  countenanced  neither  by  the  ancient  versions  nor  by 
Hebrew  etymology  and  usage.  By  giving  it,  as  a  verbal  form,  the 
sense  of  covering,  protecting  (which  belongs  to  some  kindred  roots), 
the  over  in  the  last  clause  may  depend  upon  it,  and  no  verb  need  in 
that  case  be  supplied.  Thy  right  hand  implies  an  exertion  of 
strength,  and  at  the  same  time  involves  an  allusion  to  the  name 
of  Benjamin  (Son  of  the  Right  Hand),  here  perhaps  representing 
*he  whole  race,  on  account  of  the  connection  of  that  tribe  with 
both  the  rival  kingdoms,  its  central  position,  its  possession  of  the 
ianctuary,  and  its  historical  relation  to  the  infant  monarchy  under 
Saul  the  Benjamite.  To  complete  the  allusion,  the  other 
element  in  the  name  (-|1  a  son)  is  then  introduced  and  metaphori- 
cally applied  to  the  vine,  which  is  still  the  Psalmist's  theme,  by 
an  assimilation  of  animal  and  vegetable  life  common  in  all  lan- 
guages. Reared,  literally,  strengthened,  made  strong,  i.  e.  raised, 
brought  up.  See  my  note  on  Tsai.  xliv.  14.  For  thyself,  not  for 
its  own  sake,  but  as  a  means  of  promoting  the  divine  praise  and 
glory. 

17  (16.)  (It  is)  hitrnt  with  fire,  cut  (down  or  7tp) ;  at  tht 
rebuke  of  thy  coimtcnance  they  jperish.  The  prayer  is  interrupted 
for  a  moment  by  a  new  description  of  the  evils  which  occasioned 
.t.  The  first  clause  alludes  to  the  destruction  of  vineyards  by  fire 
and  steel  in  ancient  warfare,  here  recognized  however  as  a  divine 
judf^meut.     At  the  rebuke,  i.  e.  at  the  time,  and  also  as  a  conse 


228  PSALM   LXXX. 

quGDce  of  it.  Any  expression  of  disapprobation  and  displeasure, 
whether  by  word  or  deed,  is  a  rebuke.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvi. 
7  (6.)  The  rebuke  is  here  supposed  to  be  expressed  in  the 
countenance,  a  much  more  natural  interpretation  than  that  which 
makes  thy  face  mean  thy  presence.  They  perish,  those  who  had 
before  been  represented  by  the  vine  transplanted  out  of  Egypt. 
The  future  form  implies  that  it  will  always  be  so,  when  God  ut- 
ters his  rebuke. 

IS  (17.)  Let  thy  hand  he  on  the  man  of  thy  right  hand^  on  the 
son  of  man  thou  hast  reared  (or  made  strong)  for  thyself.  Here 
again  the  component  parts  of  the  name  Benjamin  are  introduce(J 
as  parallels,  precisely  as  in  v.  16  (15.)  The  man  of  thy  right 
hand  may  either  be  the  man  whom  thy  power  has  raised  up,  or  the 
man  who  occupies  the  post  of  honour  at  thy  right  hand.  That 
the  words  were  intended  to  suggest  both  ideas,  is  a  supposition 
perfectly  agreeable  to  Hebrew  usage.  A  more  doubtful  question 
is  that  in  reference  to  the  first  words  of  the  sentence,  let  thy  hand 
he  upon  him,  whether  this  means  in  favour  or  in  wrath.  The 
only  way  in  which  both  senses  can  be  reconciled  is  by  applying 
the  words  to  the  Messiah,  as  the  ground  of  the  faith  and  hope 
expressed.  Let  thy  hand  fall  not  on  us  but  on  our  substitute. 
Compare  the  remarkably  similar  expressions  in  Acts  v.  31. 

19  (18.)  And  (then)  ive  icill  not  hackslide  from  thee;  thou 
wilt  qidcken  us,  and  07i  thy  name  will  we  call.  Foi-giveness 
founded  on  atonement  is  the  best  security  against  relapses  into  sin. 
The  first  verb  is  the  one  used  to  describe  the  general  apostasy  in 
in  Ps.  liii.  4  (3.)  Quicken,  restore  to  life,  or  save  alive,  or  simply 
make  alive.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxi.  20.  The  meaning  of  the  last 
clause  is,  thee  {alone)  will  we  invoke.,  as  the  object  of  our  trusS 
and  worship,  a  profession  involving  the  repudiation  of  all  other 
gods. 


PSALM    LXXXI.  229 

20  (19.)  Jehovah.  God^  (God  of)  ITosts^  restore  us,  lei  thy  face 
hiiie,  and  let  us  be  saved !  While  the  prayer  in  this  verse  is 
identical  with  that  in  v.  4  (3)  and  S  (7),  there  is  a  kind  of  climax 
in  the  form  of  the  address.  In  the  first  of  the  three  places  it  is 
simply -CryrZ,  in  the  second  God  of  Hosts,  in  the  third  and  last 
Jehovah  God  of  Hosts,  as  if  to  add  to  the  general  ideas  of  divinity 
and  sovereignty  those  of  self-existence,  eternity,  and  covenant- 
relation  to  his  chosen  people,  as  additional  warrants  for  the  hope 
and  prayer,  that  he  would  turn  them,  smile  upon  them,  save  them. 


PSALM   LXXXI. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  On  (or  according  to)  the  Gittith. 
By  Asaph.  For  the  probable  meaning  of  the  Gittith,  see  above 
on  Ps.  viii.  1.  In  the  absence  of  any  proof  to  the  contrary,  the 
Asaph  of  this  title  must  be  assumed  to  be  the  contemporary  of 
David.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  1.  The  psalm  before  us  was  pro- 
bably intended  to  be  sung  at  the  Passover,  as  it  consists  of  an 
exhortation  to  praise  God  for  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from 
Egypt,  vs.  2 — 8  (1 — 7),  a  complaint  of  their  ingratitude,  vs. 
^ — 13  (8 — 12),  and  a  glowing  picture  of  the  happy  effects  to  be 
Bxpected  from  obedience  and  fidelity,  vs.  14 — 18  (13 — 17.) 

2  (1.)  Sing  aloud  unto  God  our  strength,  make  a  joyful  noise 
unto  the  God  of  Jacob  !  The  first  verb  is  properly  a  causative 
meaning  viake  or  let  rejoice.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  9  (8),  and 
compare  Deut.  xxxii.  43,  in  which  place,  and  in  this,  it  is  com- 
monly supposed  to  be  intransitive.  The  parallel  verb  is  a  generio 
term,  applied  both  to  shouting  and  the  sound  of  a  trumpet.     See 


230  PSALM   LXXXl. 

above,  on  Ps.  xli.  12  (11.)  xlvii.  2  (1.;  God  our  strength^  our 
Btrong  protector  and  deliverer,  in  which  character  he  specially 
revealed  himself  in  the  deliverance  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  the  main 
theme  or  subject  of  this  psalm,  and  thereb}^  proved  himself  to  be 
indeed  the  covenant  or  tutelary  God  of  Jacob. 

3  (2.)  Raise  the  song^  and  heat  the  druvi,  the  siceet  narp  with 
the  lute  (or  lyre.)  Beat,  literally,  gii-e,  i.  e.  give  forth  its  sound, 
or  sound  it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  7(6.)  Ixviii.  34  (33.)  Ixxvii. 
IS  (17.)  This  is  to  be  understood  as  a  mutual  exhortation  of 
the  musicians  to  each  other  during  the  actual  performance. 

4  (3.)  BIoiv,  in  the  month,  the  trumjpet,  at  the  full  moon,  on  the. 
lay  of  our  feast.  The  month,  by  way  of  enjinence,  was  the  first 
Qionth,  in  which  the  passover  was  celebrated  (Ex.  xii.  1,  2.)  Here, 
as  in  the  Hebrew  of  Lev.  xxiii.  5,  the  mouth  is  first  named,  then 
ihe  particular  part  of  it.  That  this  kst  was  no  unessential  cir- 
3umstance,  appears  from  the  fact,  that  when  an  extraordinary 
passover  was  kept,  it  was  on  the  same  day  of  another  month 
(Num.  ix.  9 — 14),  and  that  when  Jeroboam  changed  the  feast  of 
tabernacles,  he  transferred  it  to  the  same  day  of  the  eighth  month 
(1  Kings  xii.  32.)  The  time  thus  selected  for  religious  obser- 
vance seems  to  have  been  that  of  the  full  moon.  Compare  the 
original  and  marginal  translation  of  Prov.  vii.  20.  The  day  of 
our  festival  or  feast,  i.  e.  the  great  day  of  the  Passover.  Our 
feast,  if  emphatic,  is  intended  to  describe  it  as  a  distinctive  na- 
tional solemnity.  The  continued  use  of  instrumental  music  at 
this  festival  appears  from  2  Chr.  xxx  21. 

5  (4.)  For  a  laio  to  Israel  (is)  this,  a  right  (belonging)  to  tht 
God  of  Jacob.  The  observance  of  this  festival  was  not  a  mere 
Djatter  of  usao;c  or  conventional  arrano-ement,  but  binding  on  the 
people  and  due  to  Jehovah  as  their  God.  The  personal  pronoun 
[it)  at  the  end  of  the  first  clause  is  emphatic,  and  may  be  better 


PSALM    LXXXI.  231 

expressed  in  English  by  a  demonstrative.     A  n'^A^,  ;?<«,  that  tc 
which  he  is  righifally  entitled. 

6  (5.)  (As)  a  testimony  in  Joseph  he  set  it,  in  his  coming  out 
over  the  land  of  Egypt.  A  speech  I  knew  not  I  am  hearing. 
Besides  the  constant  use  of  testimony  in  the  sense  of  laio,  Ps.  xix. 
8  (7.)  Ix.  1.  Ixxviii.  5.  Ixxx.  1,  the  word  is  appropriate,  in  itt? 
strict  sense,  to  the  Passover,  as  a  perpetual  memento  or  menioi  ial 
of  the  exodus  from  Egypt.  Joseph  is  here  put  for  Israel,  on  ac- 
count of  his  pre-eminence  during  the  residence  in  Egypt  (Gen. 
xlix.  26.  Ex.  i.  8.)  He  set  it,  i.  e.  God  instituted  or  ordained  the 
festival.  In  his  coming,  at  the  time,  or  in  the  very  act,  of  his 
departure.  Over  the  land  of  Egypt  includes  the  usual  expression, 
from  or  out  of  it  (Ex.  xxxiv.  18),  but  suggests  the  additional 
iL^eas  of  publicity  and  triumph.  Israel,  at  the  exodus,  passed  over 
a  considerable  tract  of  the  Egyptian  territory,  and  at  the  same 
time,  as  it  were,  over  the  heads  of  the  humbled  and  terrified 
Egyptians.  Compare  Ex.  xiv.  8.  Num.  xxxiii.  3.  »Sp<?ec/i,  liter- 
ally, Up,  a  common  idiomatic  expression  for  dialect  or  language. 
According  to  the  version  of  this  last  clause  above  given,  it  refers 
to  the  words  of  Grod  that  follow,  and  describes  the  people  as  hav- 
ing then  heard  what  they  never  heard  before.  Some  interpreters, 
however,  understand  it  as  describing  the  condition  of  the  people 
while  in  Egypt,  by  one  of  its  most  marked  and  painful  circum- 
stances, namely,  that  they  there  resided  in  the  midst  of  a  foreign 
and  by  implication  heathen  race.  This  agrees  better  with  the 
figurative  usage  of  lip  elsewhere,  and  is  strongly  favoured  by  the 
analogy  of  Deut.  xxviii.  49.  Jer.  v.  15,  Ps.  cxiv.  1.  Compare 
my  note  on  Isai.  xxxiii.  19.  Thus  understood,  the  clause  may 
be  translated,  (where)  /  heard  a  tongue  I  did  not  understand. 
The  future  form  of  the  first  verb  has  refei-ence  to  the  actual  time 
cf  the  events,  into  which  the  speaker  here  transports  himself. 

"  ?  (fi.)  J  r^.maved  from  the  burden  his  shoulder  j  his  hands  from 


232  PSALM    LXXXI. 

the.  basket  escape.  The  first  verb  strictly  means  I  caused  (or  suf* 
fered)  to  depart.  The  idea  is  borrowed  from  Ex.  vi.  6,  7.  The 
specific  reference  is  no  doubt  to  the  carrying  of  bricks  and  mortar, 
and  the  pot  or  basket  of  the  next  clause  is  the  vessel  used  for 
that  purpose,  the  form  of  which  has  been  found  delineated  in  a 
burial-vault  at  Thebes.     Escape^  literally,  pass  away. 

8  (7.)  In  distress  thou  hast  called  and  I  have  delivered  thee;  1 
will  {yet)  answer  thee  in  the  secret  place  of  thunder  ;  I  will  try  thti 
at  the  loaters  of  Strife.  The  secret  or  hiding  place  of  thunder  is 
the  dark  cloud  charged  with  tempest  which  overhung  Mount 
Sinai  at  the  giving  of  the  law  (Ex.  xx.  18.)  This  is  here  anti- 
cipated or  predicted,  as  well  as  the  murmuring  of  the  people  at 
Meribah  (Ex.  xvii.  Num.  xx.)  as  a  signal  instance  of  their  unbe- 
lief and  disobedience.  Thus  understood,  the  verse  continues  the 
words  of  God  himself,  at  the  crisis  of  the  Exodus.  According  to 
the  other  exegetical  hypothesis  already  mentioned,  there  is  he>-e 
a  sudden  change  of  speaker,  and  the  future  verbs  in  this  verse  are 
to  be  explained  as  historical  presents. 

9  (8.)  Uear^  my  people^  and  I  ivill  testify  against  thee^  Israel^  if 
thou  wilt  hearken  to  me.  There  is  a  strong  resemblance  between 
this  verse  and  Ps.  1-  7.  The  conditional  particle  (if)  in  the  last 
clause  is  by  some  taken  optatively,  oh  that  than,  wouldst  hearken., 
or,  as  we  might  say  in  English,  if  thou  wouldst  hut  hearken.  As 
examples  of  this  usage,  ps.  xcv.  7.  cxxxix.  19.  Prov.  xxiv.  11, 
are  cited.  Other  interpreters  deny  its  existence  and  regard  this 
as  an  instance  of  aposiopesis,  if  thou  tcilt  hearken  to  me  (thou  shalt 
do  well,)  like  those  in  Ex.  xxxii.  32.  Luke  xix.  42.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxvii.  13.  A  simpler  and  more  natural  construction  than 
either  is  to  make  this  the  condition  of  the  statement  in  the  firs! 
clause.     '  I  will  speak,  if  thou  wilt  hear  me.' 

10  (9.)  There  shall  not  he  in  thee  a  strangt  God.,  and  thoit  shalt 
not  worship  afoieign  God.     The  divine   name  here  used    is  tha 


PSALM   LXXXI.  233 

me  denoting  power.  *  Thou  shalt  acknowledge  no  Almighty  but 
the  true  one.'  The  prohibitory  futures  have  a  stronger  sense 
than  that  expressed  in  some  translations,  let  there  be  no  strange  God 
inthce^  i.  e.  in  the  midst  of  thee,  among  you.  A  strange  God, 
a  God  who  is  an  alien  to  Jehovah  and  to  Israel.  Worship^  lite- 
rally bow  down  or  prostrate  thyself.  A  foreign  God^  a  God  of 
strangeness,  or  belonging  to  foreign  parts,  in  other  words,  a  hea- 
then deity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  45,  46  (44,  45.)  The  spe- 
cific reason  here  implied  is  that  expressed  in  Deut.  xxxii.  12. 
The  general  principle  is  the  same  that  is  propounded  in  the  first 
commandment  (Ex.  xx.  3.  Deut.  v.  7.) 

11  {\0.)  I  am  Jehovah^  thy  God^  who  brought  thee  up  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt ;  open  thy  mouth  wide  and  I  will  fill  it.  The  reason 
of  the  precept  in  the  foregoing  verse  is  now  explicitly  declared. 
The  (one)  making  thee  ascend.,  or  causing  thee  to  come  up.  Open 
thy  mouth  wide^  literally,  widen  it.  The  supply  of  food  is  here 
put  for  that  of  all  necessities.  The  reason  here  suggested  for  ad- 
hering to  Jehovah  is,  that  He  not  only  had  delivered  them  from 
Egypt,  but  was  abundantly  able  to  provide  for  them  in  Canaan 
and  the  wilderness. 

12  (11.)  And  my  people  did  not  hearken  to  my  voice.,  and  Israel 
did  not  consent  unto  me.  God  having  once  been  introduced  as 
speaking,  the  description  of  the  subsequent  events  is  still  ascribed 
to  him.  The  phrase  my  people  is  designed  to  aggravate  the  guilt 
of  their  rebellion.  My  voice  has  special  reference  to  the  warning 
in  vs  7 — 11  (6 — 10),  supposed  to  be  uttered  at  the  exodus  from 
Egypt.  Some  interpreters,  however,  make  the  whole  verse  a  general 
description.  Consent  unto  me^  acquiesce  in  my  requirements  and 
agree  to  do  my  will.  The  form  of  expression  is  like  that  in 
Deut.  xiii.  9.  (8.) 

13  (12.)  And  I  gave  them  up  to  the  corruption  of  their  own 


e4  t^SALM    LXXXI. 

heait  ;  they  go  an  \  ^ndr  own  counsels.  The  first  verb  strictly 
means  /  sod  than  fu, .%  i.  e.  to  walk  in  the  corruption  of  their 
own  heart.  The  wyAd  translated  corrwption occurs  elsewhere  only 
in  Deut.  xxix.  18,  an'l  in  Jeremiah's  imitations  of  it  (Jer.  iii.  17. 
vii.  24.  ix.  13.  xi.  8.)  According  to  a  Syriac  analogy,  and  the 
most  probable  Hebrew  etymology,  it  properly  means  hardness^ 
corresponding  to  the  ncbQixtaig  of  the  New  Testament  (Mark 
vii.  5.  Rom.  xi.  25.  Eph.  iv.  IS.)  In  their  own  counsels.,  in  the 
execution  of  their  own  evil  purposes  and  unwise  plans.  The  verb 
in  the  last  clause  may  be  read  as  a  concession  or  permission,  by 
refLMiing  the  words  to  an  anterior  poiut  if  time.  '  I  gave  them 
up,  etc.  (saying)  let  them  go  on  in  thei.  own  counsels.'  As  to 
the  fearful  kind  of  retribution  here  denouK^ed,  see  Prov.  i.  30,  31. 
Rom.  i.  24.  2  Thess.  ii.  10,  11. 

14  (13. J  If  my  people  looidd  (but)  hearken  io  --ne  (and)  Israel  in 
my  ways  would  walk.  The  conditional  particle  at  the  beginning, 
although  not  the  same  with  that  in  v.  9  (8),  is  construed  in  the 
same  way,  but  with  a  stronger  optative  meaning.  To  listen  to 
God's  teaching  and  commands  implies  a  docile  and  obedient 
spirit.  To  walk  in  his  ways  is  to  act  as  he  approves  and  has 
required. 

15  (14.)  Soon  would  I  hoio  down  their  enemies,  and  on  their 
foes  bring  back  my  hand.  The  first  H-ebrew  phrasp  strictly 
means  like  a  little,  but  is  used  like  the  English  yet  a  littie,  i.  e,  in 
a  little  while.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  12,  and  compare  Ps.  Ixxiii.  2. 
To  draw  back  the  hand,  in  Ps.  Ixxiv.  11,  means  to  withdraw  or 
v/ithhold  it  from  action  ;  but  in  this  connection  it  conveys. the 
opposite  idea  of  bringing  it  again  into  action,  with  specific  refer- 
ence, as  some  suppose,  to  its  use  in  former  exigencies,  v.  8  (7.) 
The  phrase  itself  denotes  mere  action  ;  the  idea  of  hostile  or  de- 
structive action  is  suggested  by  the  context.  See  my  note  ok 
Wi.  i.  25. 


VSALM    LXXXl.  235 

16  (15.)  The,  hater?,  of  Jehovah  should  lie  to  him^  and  ihdr  time 
ihoidd  he  forever.  The  first  phrase  is  intended  to  sii2;gest  the  con- 
solatory thought  that  the  foes  of  God's  people  are  the  foes  of  God 
himself.  There  is  no  need,  therefore,  of  referring /^m  to  Israel  or 
971.7/  people^  as  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  29,  from  which  the  clause  is  bor- 
rowed. The  plurals  before  and  after  render  this  less  natural,  and 
as  the  interests  of  God  and  his  people  are  identical,  the  meaning 
is  the  same  in  either  case.  To  lie  is  here  to  yield  a  feigned  obe- 
dience to  a  conqueror  or  superior  enemy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii. 
45  (44.)  Ixvi.  3.  Their  time.,  i.  e.  the  continued  existence  of 
Israel  as  the  chosen  people.     Compare  2  Sam.  vii.  24. 

17  (16.)  And  he  icould  feed  him  icith  the  fat  of  wheat.,  and  from 
the  rock  loith  honey  sate  him.  The  first  verb  is  a  causative  and 
means  would  let  (or  make^  him  eat.  The  fat  of  wheat,  its  richest 
part  or  finest  quality,  another  transfer  of  animal  attributes  to  vege- 
table objects.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxx:  16  (15.)  Honey  from 
the  rock,  some  suppose  to  mean  wild  honey  ;  others,  with  more 
probability,  honey  supplied  by  miracle,  like  the  water  from  the 
rock  in  the  desert.  All  these  strong  expressions  are  borrowed 
from  Deut.  xxxii.  13,  14,  and  are  imitated  likewise  in  Ps.  cxlvii. 
14.  Isai.  xxxiv.  16.  Wheat  and  honey,  by  a  natural  and  primi- 
tive association,  are  here  put  for  the  necessaries  and  the  luxuries 
of  human  sustenance,  and  these  again  for  the  highest  enjoyment 
and  prosperity.  The  English  version  refers  these  four  verses  all 
to  past  time,  had  hearkened.,  had  walked.,  should  have  suMued, 
should  have  snhnitted.,  should  have  endured.,  should  have  fed^.,  should 
have  satisfied.  This  is  in  fact  the  true  construction  of  the  similar 
passage  in  Isai.  xlviii.  IS  ;  but  there  the  conditional  or  optative 
particle  is  construed  with  the  preterite,  and  not  with  the  futuro 
tense  as  here,  which  makes  an  essential  difference  of  syntax 
Soe  jNordheimer's  Hebrew  Grammar,  §  1078. 


236  PSALM    LXXXn. 


PSALM     LXXXII. 

A  BRIEF  but  pregnant  statement  of  the  responsibilities  artachedl 
to  the  judicial  office  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation.  After  de- 
claring the  relation  which  the  judges  bore  to  God,  v.  ],  he  re- 
bukes their  malversation,  v.  2,  and  exhorts  them  to  a  better 
practice,  vs.  3,  4,  and  in  case  of  their  persistency  in  evil,  v.  5, 
notwithstanding  their  acknowledged  dignity,  v.  6,  threatens  them 
with  condign  punishment,  v.  7,  to  which  the  church  responds  by 
praying  God  himself  to  appear  as  the  universal  judge  and  sove- 
reign, V.  S.  . 

1,  A  Psalm.  By  Asapk.  God  stands  in  the  assemlly  of  the 
Mighty  ;  in  the  midst  of  the  gods  he  judges.  There  is  no  reason 
for  doubting  that  the  Asaph  mentioned  iu  this  title  was  the  Asaph 
of  the  reign  of  David,  in  whose  times  the  necessity  for  such  a 
warning  must  already  have  existed,  if  not  in  the  person  of  the 
king,  who,  perhaps  on  that  account,  is  not  particularly  mentioned, 
yet  in  his  chiefs  or  nobles,  the  exalted  though  inferior  magis- 
trates who  executed  justice  under  him.  The  judicial  appearance 
of  Jehovah  here  presented  is  like  that  in  Ps.  1.  1.  Staiids^  or, 
as  the  participle  strictly  means,  {is)  standing^  stationing  him- 
Bclf,  assuming  his  position.  The  word  translated  assemUy  is  one 
commonly  applied  to  the  congregation  of  Israel,  as  an  organ- 
iied  whole  or  body  politic.  See  Ex.  xii.  3.  xvi.  1.  Lev.  iv.  \^. 
Num.  xxvii.  17.  Blighty  is  singular  not  plural  in  Hebrew,  being 
one  of  the  divine  names  (bjj;),  and  qualifies  the  congregation  oi 


PSALM  LXXXll.  237 

a.ssembly  as  belonging  to  God  himself,  i.  e.  instituted  bv  him  and 
held  under  his  authority.  The  parallel  expression,  in  the  midst  of 
the  gods,  superadds  to  this  idea  an  allu?^ion  to  a  singular  usage  of  the 
Pentateuch,  according  to  which  the  thcocratical  magistrates,  as 
mere  representatives  of  God's  judicial  sovereignty,  are  expressly 
called  Elohim,  the  plural  form  of  which  is  peculiarly  well  suited 
to  this  double  sense  or  application.  See  Ex.  xxi.  6.  xxii.  7,  8 
(8,  9),  and  compare  Deut.  i.  17.  xix.  17.  2  Chron.  xix.  6.  Even 
reverence  to  old  age  seems  to  be  required  on  this  principle  (Lev. 
xix.  32),  and  obedience  to  parents  in  the  fifth  commandment  (Ex. 
XX.  12),  which  really  applies  to  all  the  offices  and  powers  of  the 
patriarchal  system,  a  system  founded  upon  natural  relations,  and 
originating  in  a  simple  extension  of  domestic  or  parental  govern- 
ment, in  which  the  human  head  represents  the  original  and  uni- 
versal parent  or  progenitor.  The  remarkable  use  of  the  name 
God  in  Exodus,  above  referred  to,  is  concealed  from  the  reader 
of  the  English  Bible,  by  the  arbitrary  use  of  the  word  jitdgeSy  as 
a  translation  of  the  Hebrew,  which  of  course  it  cannot  be.  He 
judges,  will  judge,  is  about  to  judge.  The  idea  is,  that  as  the 
judges  were  gods  to  other  men,  so  he  would  be  a  judge  to  them 
Compare  Isai.  iii.  13 — 15.  Micah  iii.  1 — 4.  Jer.  xxii.  1 — 4. 

2.  How  long  will  ye  judge  wrong,  aiid  the  faces  of  wicked  men 
accept  1  Selak.  The  question  implies  that  they  had  done  so  long 
enough,  nay,  too  long,  since  it  was  wrong  from  the  beginning. 
Wrong,  in  the  strongest  moral  sense,  injustice,  wickedness. 
Wrong,  in  Hebrew  as  in  English,  may  be  construed  either  as  an 
adverb  or  a  noun  or  both,  i.  e.  as  a  noun  adverbially  used  to 
qualify  the  verb.  See  the  similar  construction  of  its  counterpart 
or  converse,  Ps.  Iviii.  2(1.)  The  last  clause  exemplifies  one  of 
the  most  peculiar  Hebrew  idioms.  The  combination  usually 
rendered  respect  persons  in  the  Ei^glish  Bible,  and  applied  to 
judicial  partiality,  means  literally  to  take  (or  take  up)  faces 
Some  suppose  this  to  mean  the  raising  of  the  countenance^  or 


238  PSALM  LXXXII. 

causing  to  look  up  from  deep  dejection.  But  the  highest  philo- 
logical authorities  are  now  agreed,  that  the  primary  idea  is  that 
of  accepting  one  man's  face  or  person  rather  than  another's,  the 
precise  form  of  expression,  though  obscure,  being  probably  de- 
rived from  the  practice  of  admitting  suitors  to  confer  with  govern- 
ors or  rulers  face  to  face,  a  privilege  which  can  sometimes  only 
be  obtained  by  bribes,  especially  though  not  exclusively  in 
oriental  courts.  The  Selah  commends  the  implied  charge  of 
official  malversation  to  the  serious  reflection  of  the  accused 
parties. 

3.  Judge  the  weak  and  fatherless^  (to)  the  sufferer  ar.d  the  poor 
do  justice.  The  indirect  censure  of  their  evil  deeds  is  followed 
by  a  direct  exhortation  to  do  well.  Compare  Isai.  i.  16,  17. 
The  verb  of  the  first  clause  is  explained  by  that  of  the  second, 
which  is  a  technical  forensic  term,  meaning  to  make  innocent  or 
righteous,  i.  e.  to  recognize  or  declare  as  such  by  a  judicial  act. 
See  Ex.  xxiii.  7.  Deut.  xxv.  1,  and  compare  2  Sam.  xv.  4.  Isai. 
5.  23.  1.  8.  The  word  translated  weak  is  applied  to  the  defect 
both  of  bodily  strength  and  of  property  or  substance.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xli.  2(1.)  It  is  used  by  Moses  in  the  same  connection. 
Ex.  xxiii.  3.  The  fatherless  or  orphans  are  continually  spoken 
of,  as  proper  objects  both  of  mercy  and  of  justice.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  X.  14.  Ixviii.  6  (5),  and  compare  Ex.  xxii.  21  (22.)  The  word 
translated  poor  seems  strictly  to  denote  one  who  has  grown  poor 
or  become  impoverished.  See  the  verbal  root  in  Ps.  xxxiv. 
11(10.) 

4.  Deliver  the  weak  and  the  needy  (man)^from  the  hand  of  luicked 
{men)  free  (him .)  The  first  verb  means  originally  to  suffer  or  cause 
to  escape  ;  the  second  to  extricate  or  disembarrass.  From  the  ha^ad 
of  the  wicked  implies  from  their  power,  as  actually  exercised  for 
coercion.  The  structure  of  the  sentence  may  be  made  more 
re^lar  by  disregarding  the  pause-accent  and  attaching  the  needy 


PSALM    LXXXIl.  239 

to  the  last  clause,  and  the  poor  from  the  hand  of  the  wicled  sU 
fiee. 

5.  They  know  not  and  they  icill  not  understand;  in  darkne.si 
they  villi  (still)  icalk ;  shaken  are  all  the  foundations  of  earth. 
This  is  the  Lord's  complaint  of  their  incorrigible  ignorance  and 
indocilitj,  which  rendered  even  his  divine  instructions  unavailing 
The  object  of  the  first  verbs  is  suggested  by  the  context,  as  in 
Ps.  xiv.  4.  What  they  did  not  know  and  would  not  understand 
was  their  judicial  duty  and  responsibility,  the  end  for  which  they 
were  invested  with  authority.  Darkness  is  a  figure  both  for  ig- 
norance and  wickedness.  See  Pro  v.  ii.  13.  The  denial  or  per- 
version of  justice  is  described  as  disorganizing  society.  Compare 
the  figures  in  Ps.  xi.  3.  Ixxv.  4  (3  ) 

6.  I  have  said^  Gods  (are)  ye^  and  sons  of  the  Highest  all  of  yoi*. 
Their  sin  did  not  consist  in  arrogating  to  themselves  too  high  a 
di'Tuity,  but  in  abusing  it  by  malversation,  and  imagining  that  it 
relieved  them  from  responsibility,  whereas  it  really  enhanced  it. 
They  W3re  God's  representatives,  bu:  for  that  very  reason  they 
were  bound  to  be  pre-eminently  just  and  faithful.  I  Imvt  said, 
not  merely  to  myself  or  in  secret,  but  in  my  law  ;  referring  to  the 
passages  in  Exodus  already  cited.  See  above,  on  v.  1.  Ye  are 
gods,  or  God,  i.  e.  ye  occupy  his  place  and  are  entrusted  with  hiy 
honour  as  a  just  and  holy  God.  The  pregnant  significancy  of  the 
plural  form  is  here  the  same  as  in  v.  1  above.  The  parallel  ex- 
pression, sons  of  the  Most  High,  denotes  the  closest  and  most  in- 
timate relation  to  Jehovah,  as  the  Supreme  or  Sovereign  God. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  7.  This  verse  is  cited  by  our  Lord  (John 
X.  34,  35),  to  show  that  if  the  divine  name  had  been  applied  by 
God  to  mere  men,  there  could  be  neither  blasphemy  nor  folly  in 
its  application  to  the  incarnate  Son  of  God  himself 

7   (Yet)  verily  like  viankind  shall  ye  die.  and   like  one  of  ihi 


P40  PSALM    LXXXIl. 

'princes  shall  ye  fall.  Our  idiom  requires  an  adversative  particle  at, 
the  beginning,  to  bring  out  the  antithetical  relation  of  the  sentences. 
But  the  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  properly  a  particle  of  strong  as- 
eeveration,  certainly,  assuredly.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxi.  23  (2.2.) 
and  compare  mj  note  on  Isai.  liii.  4.  Like  mankitid^  or  men  col- 
lectively, or  like  a  man  indefinitely,  i.  e.  any  other  man.  So  in 
the  other  clause,  like  one  of  the  princeSy  i.  e.  any  other  prince,  or 
person  holding  an  exalted  station.  The  clauses  constitute  a  cli- 
max. The  first  merely  describes  them  as  sharers  in  the  general 
mortality  of  man.  The  second  threatens  them  with  death,  i.  e. 
violent  or  untimely  death,  as  a  special  punishment  Ye  shall  fall j 
by  the  sword  (Jer.  xxxix.  18,)  or  in  some  analogous  manner. 
The  verb  is  often  absolutely  used  in  this  way  to  denote  a  violent 
and  penal  loss  of  life.  See  above,  Ps.  xx.  9,  (8,)  and  below, 
Ps.  xci.  7,  and  compare  Ex.  xix.  21,  Jer.  viii.  12.  The  general 
meanino-  of  this  verse,  when  taken  in  connection  with  the  one  be- 
fore it,  is  that  notwithstanding  their  exalted  dignity,  bestowed 
and  recognized  by  God  himself,  they  were  not  thereby  exempted 
from  the  common  mortality  of  men,  nor  even  from  those  signal 
and  destructive  strokes,  with  which  God  often  visits  men  as  highly 
favored  and  exalted  as  themselves. 

8.  Arise,  oh  God,  judge  the  earth;  for  thou  art  to  possess  all 
nations.  This  is  not,  as  some  interpreters  suppose,  a  mere  wish 
that  God  would  do  what  he  had  just  threatened  ;  for  this  would 
make  the  psalm  end  with  a  feeble  anti-climax.  It  is  rather  a  pe- 
tition that,  since  the  representative  or  delegated  judges  had  proved 
so  unfaithful,  God  would  appear  in  person  and  reclaim  the  powers 
which  had  been  so  wickedly  abused.  And  this  he  is  besought  to 
do,  not  only  in  Israel,  where  the  proximate  occasion  of  the  prayer 
was  furnished,  but  throughout  the  earth,  over  all  whose  nations 
be  possessed,  and  was  one  day  to  make  good,  the  same  hereditary 
right,  i.  e.  a  right  continuing  unchanged  through  all  successive 
generations. 


PSALM    LXXXril  241 


PSALM    L  X  X  X  I I  I  . 

1  A  Song.  A  Psalm.  By  Asapk.  To  the  general  descrip- 
tion (mizmdr),  there  is  here  prefixed  a  more  specific  one  (shir^) 
which  designates  the  composition  as  a  song  of  praise  or  triumph. 
The  same  combination  occurs  above,  in  the  title  of  Ps.  xlviii,  a 
composition  which,  as  we  have  there  seen,  was  probably  occa- 
sioned by  the  victory  of  Jehoshaphat  over  the  Moabites,  Ammo- 
nites, and  their  confederates,  as  described  in  2  Chr.  ch.  xx. 
This  agrees  well  with  the  hypothesis,  conclusively  maintained  by 
Hengstenberg,  that  the  psalm  before  us  has  relation  to  the  same 
event,  and  that  as  the  forty-seventh  was  probably  sung  upon  the 
field  of  battle,  and  the  forty-eighth  after  the  triumphant  return 
to  Jerusalem,  so  the  eighty-third  was  composed  in  confident  anti- 
cipation of  the  victory.  The  points  of  agreement  with  the  history 
will  be  indicated  in  the  exposition  of  the  several  verses.  After  a 
general  petition  for  divine  help,  v.  2  (1),  follows  a  description  of 
the  violence,  craft,  destructive  purpose,  and  extensive  combinatioik 
of  the  enemies  of  Judah,  vs.  3 — 9  (2 — 8),  and  then  an  earnest 
prayer  for  the  renewal  of  God's  ancient  deeds  in  simihxr  emer 
gencies,  vs.  10 — 15  (9 — 14),  with  a  view  to  the  promotion  of  his 
glory  in  the  destruction  of  his  irreconcilable  enemies,  vs.  16 — 19 
( 15 — 18.)  According  to  the  view  of  the  historical  occasion  above 
given,  the  Asaph  of  the  title  must  denote  some  descendant  of  the 
ancient  :eer,  as  it  seems  to  do  in  several  of  the  preceding  psalms. 
Now  it  happens,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  that  in  the  history 

VOL.    f.'..  11 


^^9  PSALM    LXXXIIK 

(2  Chr.  XX.  14),  such  a  descendant  is  j  articularly  inpntione.*; 
Jahaziel,  upon  whom  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  came  in  the  midst  of 
the  assembly,  and  prompted  him  to  take  a  leading  part  in  the  pre- 
liminary movements  which  resuUed  in  the  triumph  o^  Judah  (ih 
vs.  15 — 18.)  Compare  the  similar  coincidence  in  reference  U 
the  Sons  of  Korah,  as  the  authors  of  Ps.  48,  vol.  1.  p.  400. 

2  (1.)  Ok  God,  be  not  silent^  hold  nou  thy  peacCj  and  be  not  stUi^ 
oh  Mighty  ( One)  !  This  is  a  general  introductory  petition,  tha^ 
God  would  not  remain  inactive  and  indifferent  to  the  danger,^ 
which  environed  his  own  people.  The  peculiar  form  of  expression 
in  the  first  clause,  let  there  not  (be)  silence  to  the^^  is  copied  hr 
Isaiah  (Ixii.  6,  7.)  The  next  phrasa  is  one  that  has  occurred  re 
peatedly  before.  See  Ps.  xxviii.  1.  xxxv.  22.  xxzix.  13  (12., 
The  third  petition,  be  not  still  or  qjiiet,  rest  not^  has  the  same  re 
lation  to  act  that  the  others  have  to  word  or  speech.  The  use  a 
this  divine  name  Ct^\  involves  an  appeal  to  God's  omnipotence, 
as  furnishing  a  reason  for  his  interference.  Why  should  He  who 
is  Almighty  remain  silent  and  inactive,  when  his  people  are  ii 
danger  and  his  enemies  apparently  triumphant } 

3  (2.)  For  lo^  thine  ene?)iies  roar,  and  thy  haters  raise  the  head 
The  general  prayer  in  the  preceding  verse  is  now  enforced  by  c 
description  of  the  danger,  beginning  with  the  violence  and  con- 
fidence of  the  assailants.  The  lo  is  equivalent  to  see  there,  tim 
converts  the  passage  into  a  description  of  a  present  scene.  The 
enemies  of  Israel  are,  as  usual,  identified  with  those  of  God,  as  f< 
reason  why  he  should  appear  for  their  destruction.  The  first 
verb  means  to  make  a  noise,  and  is  applied  to  the  roar  of  tho 
sea  in  Ps.  xlvi.  4  (3),  as  it  is  to  the  howl  of  dogs  in  Ps  iix. 
7  (6),  and  to  internal  commotions  in  Ps.  xxxix.  7  (b'.)  xlil.  6, 
12  (5,  11.)  Lift  up  the  head,  as  a  natural  indication  of  confi- 
dence and  triumph.  Compare  the  description  of  a  conquered 
people,  Judg.  viii.  28. 


PSALM   LXXXIfl  213 

1:  (3.)  Against  thy  people  they  take  crafty  counsel,  and  consult 
against  thy  hidden  ones.  To  the  qualities  of  violence  and  arro- 
gance, the  description  now  adds  that  of  treacherous  cunning 
The  construction  in  the  first  clause  is,  they  make  {their)  consulta- 
tion crafty.  For  the  moaning  of  the  Hebrew  noun,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  XXV.  14.  Iv.  15  (14.)  Ixiv.  3  (2.)  Thy  hidden  ones,  those 
whom  thou  hast  hidden  for  safe-keeping,  the  objects  of  thy  merci- 
ful protection.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  5,  xxxi.  21  (20.) 

5  (4.)  They  have  said,  Come  and  let  us  destroy  them  from 
(being)  a  nation,  a^nd  let  not  the  name  of  Israel  he  remembered 
any  more.  Not  only  were  they  turbulent  and  confident  and 
crafty,  but  malignant  and  determined  to  destroy.  The  past 
tense  of  the  first  verb  represents  the  combination  as  already  formed. 
The  idiomatic  phrase, /ro?7i  n  nation,  is  used  more  than  once  by 
Isaiah  (vii.  8.  xxiii.  1.)  The  expression  for  complete  extirpa- 
tion in  the  last  clause  is  borrowed  from  the  curse  on  Amalek,  Ex. 
xvii.  14.  Israel,  as  the  name  of  the  chosen  people^  was  right- 
fully claimed  by  Judah  after  the  great  schism,  even  while  the 
rival  kingdom  still  existed. 

6  (5.)  For  they  have  consulted  heartily  together  ;  against  thee  a. 
covenant  they  ratify.  The  word  translated  heartily  is  really  a 
noun  meaning  heart,  but  here  used  to  qualify  the  verb  by  adding 
the  idea,  with  the  heart,  ex  animo,  cordially,  heartily.  The 
phrase  rendered  one  heart  in  1  Chr.  xii.  38  is  altogether  diiferent. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  last  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps.  1.  5.  The 
preterite  and  future  tense  represent  the  combination  as  already 
formed  and  still  continued. 

7  (6.)  The  tents  of  Edom  and  the  Ishmaelites,  Moah  and  the 
Hagarenes.  The  use  of  the  word  tents  does  not  necessarily  im- 
ply a  wandering  mode  of  life,  as  it  may  mean  military  tents,  or 
be  a  figure  for  dwellings.     See   above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  67,  and 


2U  PSALM    LXXXIII. 

compare  Judg.  vii.  8.  1  Kings  xii.  16.  The  Ishmaelites  inhab- 
ited a  part  of  Desert  Arabia  (Gen.  xxv.  18),  as  did  also  the 
Hagarenes  or  Hagarites,  a  people  driven  from  their  lands  by  the 
tribe  of  Simeon  in  the  reign  of  Saul.  See  1  Chr.  v.  10,  19—22 
and  compare  1  Chr.  xi.  38.  xxvii.  31. 

8  (7.)  Gelal  and  Ammon  and  Amaiek,  Fhilistia  with  tke  in- 
habitants of  Tyre.  Gebal  was  probably  a  part  of  Idumea.  Am- 
mon and  Amalek  are  joined  in  the  same  manner.  Judges  iii.  13, 
as  Philistia  and  Tyre  are,  Ez.  xxxviii-  13,  and  Philistia,  Tyre, 
and  Edom,  Am.  i.  6 — 10.  ^ 

9  (8.)  Also  Assyria  icas  joined  ivitk  thtni.  (These)  u^i?  £  .vn 
arm  to  the  Sons  of  Lot.  Selah.  Assyria  is  put  last  as  the  re- 
motest and  least  interested  in  this  combination  against  Judah.  U 
had  evidently  not  yet  supplanted  Babylonia  as  the  dominant 
power  of  Western  Asia.  The  last  clause  refers,  not  merely  to 
Assyria,  as  the  plural  verb  shows,  but  to  all  the  confederates  ex- 
cept the  Sons  of  Lot,  i.  e.  Moab  and  Ammon  (Gen.  xix.  37,  38), 
who  are  here  referred  to,  as  the  authors  and  conductors  of  the 
expedition. 

10  (9.)  Do  to  them  as  (thou  didst)  to  Midian.,  as  (to)  Stsera,  as 
(to)  Jabin,  in  the  valley  of  the  Kishon.  This  is  a  prayer  for  such 
deliverances  as  Israel  expeiienced  of  old.  The  examples  here 
Belectod  are  the  victory  of  Gideon  over  the  Midianites  (Judges 
vii,  viii),  and  that  of  Deborah  and  Barak  over  Jabin  and  Sisera 
(Judges  iv,  V. )  Between  the  first  of  these  and  the  event  which  the 
psalm  before  us  was  designed  to  celebrate  there  was  this  remaik- 
able  resemblance,  that  the  enemies  of  Israel  were  in  both  cases 
mada  to  destroy  each  other  (Judg.  vii.  22.  2  Chr.  xx.  23.)  Com- 
pare the  allusions  to  the  same  event  in  Isai.  ix.  4  (3.)  Hab.  iii  7. 
The  Kishon  is  repeatedly  mentioned  in  the  history  of  Deborab 
and  Barak's  trmmph  '-^udg.  iv.  7,  13.  v.  21.) 


PSALM   LXXXIII.  245 

11  (10.)  They  nere  destroyed  at  Endor,  they  were  dung  to  the 
aartk.  This  refers  to  the  second  of  the  battles  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  verse.  Endor  is  not  expressly  named  in  the  history, 
but  is  known  to  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  Tabor,  which  i£ 
repeat^'dly  there  mentioned  (Judg.  iv.  6,  12,  14.)  The  last  clause 
derives  illustration  from  the  extraordinary  fruitfulness  of  certain 
battle-fields  in  modern  times,  particularly  that  of  Waterloo 
Compare  2  Kings  ix.  37.  Jer.  ix.  21  (22.) 

12  (11.)  Make  them,  (even)  t/ieir  nobles,  like  Orel  and  like 
Zeeh  ;  and  like  Zehah  and  like  Zalnmnnah  all  their  princes.  He 
asks  not  only  that  the  masses  of  the  enemy  may  fare  like  those 
of  Midian,  but  that  their  chief  men  may  be  utterly  destroyed  as 
the  kings  and  chiefs  of  Midian  were  by  Gideon.  See  Judg.  vii. 
25.  viii.  5 — 21.  The  appeal  to  the  historical  associations  of  the 
people  is  greatly  strengthened  by  this  recital  of  familiar  names. 
The  first  word  properly  means  set  or  place  them,  i.  e.  put  them  ia 
the  same  condition. 

13  (12.)  Who  have  said,  let  us  inherit  for  ourselves  the  divelU 
it.gs  (or  pasture-growuh)  of  God.  This  relates  not  to  the  former 
but  to  the  present  enemies  of  Israel,  and  assigns  the  reason  why 
they  should  experience  the  same  fate  with  their  predecessors. 
The  double  meaning  of  the  word  translated  dwellings  makes  it 
peculiarly  descriptive  of  the  Holy  Land,  where  God  dwelt  with 
hie  people,  and  where  he  fed  them  as  a  shepherd.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxiii.  3.  Ixv.  13  (12.)  Ixxiv.  20. 

14  (13.)  My  God,  make  them  like  the  whirling  chaff  lefore  the. 
•wind.  Make  tliem,  literally,  place  them,  as  in  v.  11.  Like  the 
whirling  chaff,  literally,  like  the  whirl  (or  whirlwind),  like  th 
chaff.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvii.  19  (18),  and  compare  Lsal 
xviL  33. 


246  PSALM   LXXXIIT 

15  (14.)  As  fire  cimsumes  a  forest j  and  as  a  Jlame  kindles  moun- 
tains. The  original  construction  is,  like  afire  (which)  consumes^ 
like  afiamc  (which)  kindles.  By  mountains  we  are  here  to  under- 
stand what  covers  them  or  grows  upon  them. 

16  (15.)  So  loilt  thou  jpur sue  them  with  thy  storm^  and  with  thy 
temjpest  scare  them.  There  is  no  need  of  translating  these  futures 
as  imperatives.  It  is  one  of  those  cases,  so  frequent  in  Hebrew, 
and  especially  in  this  book,  where  the  form  of  direct  petition  al- 
ternates with  that  of  confident  anticipation 

17  (18.)  Fill  their  face  wiith  shame.,  and  (men)  will  seek  thy 
name.,  Jehovah  I  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixix.  8  (7.) 
Ixxxix.  46  (45.)  Some  refer  the  last  clause  also  to  the  enemies ; 
but  their  destruction  is  still  anticipated  in  the  next  verse,  and  to 
icck  tJie  name  of  God  can  hardly  be  expressive  of  a  compulsory 
humiliation.  The  word  translated  shame  is  very  strong,  and 
means  contempt,  disgrace,  or  ignominy. 

18  (17.)  They  shall  he  shamed  and  terror-stricken  to  eternity^ 
and  blush  and  perish.  This  no  doubt  includes  a  prayer  or  the 
expression  of  a  wish,  but  it  also  includes  a  strong  and  confident 
anticipation.  To  discard  the  future  form  is  therefore  at  the 
same  time  weakening  to  the  sense  and  destructive  of  a  character- 
istic feature  of  the  language.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
vi.  11  (10.)  The  word  translated  terror-stricken  is  the  same  that 
was  rendered  scared   in  v.  16  (15.)      See    above,  on  Ps.  ii.  5. 

'  vi.  4  (3.)  xlviii.  6  (5.) 

19.  (IS.)  And  (men)  shall  know  that  thou.,  whose  name  (is)  Je- 
hovah., {art)  alone  Most  High  over  all  the  earth.  The  reference 
here,  as  in  v.  17  (16),  is  not  to  the  impression  made  upon  the 
minds  of  those  destroyed,  but  upon  men  in  general  considered  aa 
spectators  of  their  fate      See  above,  on  Ps.  lix.  14  (13),  and  com- 


PSALM  LXXXIV.  247 

pare  1  Sam.  xvii.  46  2  Kings  xix.  19.  Isai.  xxx\ii.  16,20.  The 
original  construction  is  j)eculiar  :  '  they  shall  know  that  thou — 
thy  name  Jehovah — thou  alone — art  Most  High  over  all  the 
earth,'  The  simple  pronoun  thou  is  explained  and  amplified  by 
the  addition  of  the  words,  thy  name  Jehovah^  i.  e.  thou  who  hast 
revealed  thyself  already  as  the  self-existent  and  eternal  God, 
and  as  the  covenant  God  of  Israel. 


PSALM    LXXXIY. 


1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  On  (or  according  to)  the  Gittith. 
By  {or  for)  the  Sens  of  Korah.  The  Psalmist  celebrates  the 
blessedness  of  iuti-iiate  communion  with  God,  vs.  2 — 8  (1 — 7), 
and  prays  that  be  may  himself  enjoy  it,  vs.  9 — 13  (8 — 12.) 
The  resemblance  of  this  psalm,  in  subject,  tone,  and  spirit,  to 
Ps.  xlii,  is  the  more  remarkable  because  each  stands  at  the  be- 
ginning of  a  series  inscribed  to  the  Sons  of  Korah.  The  experi- 
ence here  recorded  is  so  evidently  David's,  that  we  must  either 
anderstand  the  Sons  of  Korah  to  be  mentioned  merely  as  the  mu- 
sical performers,  or  suppose  that  they  composed  it  to  express  the 
feelings  of  the  king  himself,  a  hypothesis  which  Hengstenberg 
illustrates  by  the  case  of  David  playing  and  singing  before 
Saul,  in  order  to  alleviate  his  paroxysms  of  madness.  For  the  ar- 
guments on  both  sides  of  the  question,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  1, 
and  for  the  meaning  of  the  Gitlith^  on  Ps.  viii.  1.  Ixxxi.  1. 

2  (1.)  How  dear  (to  me  are)  thy  dwellings^  oh  Jehovah^  (God 
of)  Hosts  !  The  adjective  is  rendered  by  the  English  versions 
amiable  J  in  the  sense  ef  the  French  aimabkj  lovely.     But  th<? 


248  PSALM  LXXXIV. 

usage  of  the  Hebrew  word  requires  it  to  be  understood  as  meaning 
dear^  beloved^  which  is  exactly  the  idea  here  required  hv  the  con- 
text. See  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  1.  Tlie  plural  dwellings  has  re- 
ference to  the  subdivisions  and  appurtenances  of  the  sanctuai  v, 
and  is  applied  to  the  tabernacle  in  Ps.  xliii.  3.  Compare  Ps.  Ixviii, 
36  (35.)  The  divine  titles  are  as  usual  significant.  While  one 
suggests  the  covenant  relation  between  God  and  the  petitioner, 
the  other  makes  his  sovereignty  the  ground  of  a  prayer  for  his 
protection.  The  force  of  this  impassioned  exclamation  is  en- 
hanced by  the  structure  of  the  sentence,  which  consists  of  a  single 
clause,  like  Ps.  xviii.  2  (l.J  With  the  whole  verse  compare 
Ps.  xxvii.  1 — 5. 

3  (2.)  Longs  and  also  faints  my  soul  for  the  courts  of  Jehovah, 
my  heart  and  my  flesh;  they  sing  (with  joy)  unto  the  living  God. 
The  first  verb  is  expressive  of  intense  desire,  as  in  Ps.  xvii.  12. 
Compare  Gen.  xxxi.  30.  Instead  of  atid  also  the  English  Bible 
has  yea  even,  which  is  perhaps  too  strong,  and  indicates  a  climax 
not  intended  by  the  writer.  Faints^  fails,  or  is  consumed  with 
strong  desire.  The  plural  courts,  i.  e.  enclosures,  is  to  be  explained 
like  dwellings  in  v.  2  (1.)  Solomon's  temple  had  two  courts  ;  but 
one  was  appropriated  to  the  priests,  2  Chr.  iv.  9.  The  courts  of 
the  tabernacle  are  mentioned  as  the  place  where  God  statedly 
communed  with  Israel.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  5  (4),  and  below, 
on  Ps.  xcii.  14  (13.)  They  are  here  mentioned  merely  as  a  sigL 
of  the  communion  itself,  which  might  be  enjoyed  in  any  place 
whatever.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  4.  xxxvi.  9.  Soul,  heart, 
and  flesh,  denote  the  whole  man.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  2  (1.) 
The  Hebrew  accents  connect  heart  and  flesh  with  the  preceding 
words.  A  much  more  natural  division  is  the  common  one,  which 
construes  them  directly  with  the  verb  of  the  last  clause.  That 
verb  elsewhere  always  denotes  a  joyful  shout  or  song ;  but  the  de- 
rivative noun  (nn,)  is  used  to  signify  a  cry  for  help  or  earnest 
prayer,  which  meaning  some  attach  to  the  verb  itself  in  this  place 


PSALM    LXXXIV  249 

?o  as  to  make  the  clauses  strictly  parallel.  If  the  usual  meaning 
of  the  verb  be  liere  retained,  the  clause  shows  that  the  speaker 
had  already  experienced  that  for  which  he  prays.  The  Living 
God^  really  existing,  and  the  giver  of  life  to  others.  See  above^ 
on  Ps.  xlii.  3  (2.) 

4  (3.)  Yfs,  the  sjparrow  has  found  a  home^  and  the  sicallovc  a 
nest^  (in)  which  she  lays  her  youngs  even  thine  altars^  Jehovah^ 
(God)  of  Hosts,  my  King  and  my  God.  The  first  word  properly 
means  also,  as  in  the  preceding  verse,  and  is  by  some  translated 
even,  as  if  he  had  said,  '  the  very  birds  have  nests  in  the  sanctu- 
ary of  God,  while  I  am  excluded  from  it.'  Compare  Matt.  viii. 
20.  But  the  fact  thus  alleged  is  highly  improbable  and  nowhere 
recorded.  A  more  natural  interpretation  is  to  make  the  sparrow 
and  the  swallow  (put  for  small  and  helpless  birds  in  general)  em- 
blems of  the  worshipper  himself.  As  if  he  had  said,  yes,  this 
wandering  bird  has  at  last  found  a  resting-place,  or  home,  both  for 
itself  and  for  its  young.  That  this  is  perfectlj'  in  keeping  with 
Davidic  usage,  is  plain  from  1  Sam.  xxvi.  20,  Ps.  xi.  1.  Iv.  7  (6.) 
Ivi.  1.  The  translation  even  thine  altars  supposes  the  Hebrew 
particle  (fis)  to  indicate  the  object  of  the  verb,  as  it  does  before 
the  same  noun  in  1  Kings  xix.  10,  14.  It  may,  however,  be  a 
preposition  meaning  at  or  Tiear,  and  this  sense  is  preferred  by 
those  interpreters  who  suppose  a  literal  nestling  of  the  birds  in 
the  sanctuary  to  be  here  alluded  to.  The  altars  meant  are  those 
of  burnt-offering  and  of  incense,  as  in  Num.  iii.  31.  They  are  par- 
ticularly mentioned,  because  it  was  by  means  of  sacrifice  and 
pra3^er  that  communion  between  God  and  man  was  possible. 
Compare  Ps.  xxvi.  6.  The  young  birds  are  introduced,  not 
only  to  complete  the  picture,  but  to  show  that  the  communion 
and  divine  protection,  which  the  Psalmist  so  highly  valued,  were 
not  merely  personal  but  domestic  and  social  privileges,  which  ho 
dedred  both  for  himself  and  those  dependent  on  him.  The  ad 
•ii'^ss,  Jehovah  (God)  of  Hosts.,  has  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  2  (1 .) 
11* 


250  PSALM    LXXXIV. 

The  same  essential  rotions  of  supremacy  and  covenant  relation 
are  conveyed  by  the  parallel  expression,  my  King  and  viy  God, 
a  combination  which  occms  only  here  and  in  Ps.  v.  3  (2.) 

5  Happy  the  dicellers  in  thy  house ^  (for)  still  they  praise  thet 
(or  uill  praise  thee.)  The  first  phrase  is  the  idiomatic  one  with 
which  the  book  begins,  for  the  peculiar  form  and  sense  of  which, 
see  above,  on  Ps.  i.  1.  ii.  12.  xxxii.  1,  2  zxxiii.  12.  xli.  2  (1.) 
Vu'eUers  in^  inhabitants  of,  thy  house,  i.  e.  members  of  thy  family, 
IS  the  same  words  literally  mean  in  Jer.,  xx.  5.  For  the  spiritual 
or  figurative  meaning,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xv.  1.  xxiii.  6.  xxiv.  3. 
xxvii.  4.  Ixi.  5  (4.)  Ixv.  5  (4.)  The  privilege  thus  described 
might  be  enjoyed  in  any  local  situation ;  but  the  outward  sign  of 
it,  under  the  old  economy,  was  the  frequenting  of  the  sanctuary. 
As  inmates,  not  mere  visitors,  they  will  still  have  occasion 
and  opportunity  of  doing  what  they  do  when  first  admitted  to 
God's  household.  They  will  still  praise^  because  they  will  have 
renewed  cause  so  to  do.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  1.  15,  23. 
Ixxix.  13. 

6  (5.)  Happy  the  man  who  (has)  strength  inthee^  (who  have)  high-^ 
ways  in  their  heart.  The  original  consists  of  several  exclamations 
or  ejaculations — happy  man  ! — (there  is)  strength  to  him.  in  thee  ! 

■ — (there  are)  highways  in  their  heart  !  This  last  unusual  and 
obscure  expression  is  supposed  by  some  to  mean,  in  whose  thoughts, 
(or  aifections)  are  the  highways  to  Jerusalem,  i.  e.  who  still  think 
of  going  up  to  wor.'^hip  there.  But  another  explanation,  which 
agrees  far  better,  both  with  the  immediate  context  and  with  usage 
and  analogy,  supposes  the  figure  to  be  identical  with  that  in  Ps. 
1.  23.  Prov.  xvi.  17.  Isai.  xl.  3,  4,  where  ths  removal  of  all 
moral  or  spiritual  hinderances  to  God's  revisiting  his  people  and 
communing  with  them,  is  poetically  represented  as  the  opening, 
levelling,  and  raising  of  a  causeway  through  a  pathless  wilderness 
or  otherwise  impracticable  ground.     The  word  translated  high' 


PSALM   LXXXIV.  251 

ways  is  determined,  both  by  etymology  and  usage,  to  denote  not 
a  mere  beaten  track  or  footpath,  but  a  road  artificially  constructed 
and  raised  above  the  level  of  the  ground  through  which  it  passes. 
The  sudden  change  of  number  in  the  last  clause  shows  that  ijuni 
is  a  generic  or  collective  term. 

7  (6.)  Passing  through  the  Vale  of  Tears^  a  spring  they  make 
it ;  also  with  blessings  is  the  Teacher  clothed.  This  is  one  of  the 
obscurest  verses  in  the  book.  Interpreters,  however,  are  now 
commonly  agreed  as  to  the  first  clause.  The  explanation  of  Baca^ 
as  meaning  the  Valley  of  Mulberry  or  Baca-trees  (.2  Sam.  v. 
23,  24.  1  Chron.  xiv.  13,  14),  is  now  very  commonly  abandoned 
for  the  one  given  in  the  ancient  versions,  the  Vale  of  Weeping  or 
of  Sorrow,  a  beautiful  poetical  desdHption  of  the  present  life  as 
one  of  suflferiug.  To  the  fans  lacrymarwm  is  opposed  the  foun- 
tain of  salvation  or  of  joy,  a  figure  so  familiar  in  the  Scriptures, 
as  to  be  readily  suggested  by  the  one  word  spring  or  fountain 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  10  (9.)  xlvi.  5  (4),  and  compare  Isai. 
xii.  3.  The  meaning  of  the  clause,  as  thus  explained,  is,  that 
the  persons  pronomiced  happy  in  the  foregoing  verse  are  a 
source  of  happiness,  and  convert  the  very  Vale  of  Tears  into  a 
fountain  of  delight.  The  meaning  of  the  other  clause  is  still  dis- 
puted. As  the  first  noun,  Vj  varying  a  single  vowel-point,  may 
mean  either  'pools  or  blessings^  and  the  next,  though  it  commonly 
means  teacher  (2  Kings  xvii.  28.  Prov.  v.  13.  Isai.  xxx.  20),  has 
in  one  other  place  (Joel  ii.  23)  the  sense  of  r^m,  or  rather  of 
the  early  rain  in  Palestine,  the  clause  admits  of  several  very- 
difierent  explanations.  1.  The  rain  also  covers  the  pools.  2.  The 
teacher  is  clothed  in  blessings.  3.  The  rain  covers  it  with  bless- 
ings. In  favour  of  the  second  is  its  close  adherence  to  the  usage 
of  the  three  leading  words.  It  is  also  found  substantially  in  the 
ancient  versions.  The  meaning  then  is,  that  this  strange  trans- 
forming power  is  exerted  by  the  good  man  as  a  teacher  of  right 
Kousness,  in  which  sense  one  of  the  disputed  words  (rr^ilQ^  occurs 


10 


252  PSALM    L^XXrV. 

in  Joel  ii.  23,  wliicli  accounts  for  its  being  there  repeated  in  tl 
very  same  sentence,  by  a  kind  of  paronomasia,  in   the  sense  of 
early  rain,  elsewhere  denoted   by  a  cognate  form  (fTnr).     Com- 
pare the  sentiment  with, that  in  Ps.  li.  15  (13.)      For  the  neuter 
or  intransitive  meaning  of  the  last  verb^  see  Lev.  xiii.  45.  Mic 
iii.  7.  Jer.  xliii.  12. 

8  (7.)  TJiey  shall  go  from  strength  to  strength;  he  shall  ap- 
pear to  God  in  Zion.  The  change  of  nu.mber  is  the  opposite  of 
that  in  v.  6  (5),  but  to  be  explained  on  the  same  principle.  Or 
the  sino'ular  verb  in  the  last  clause  may  refer  to  the  Teacher  in 
V.  7  (6.)  The  strength  is  that  bestowed  by  God,  in  the  experi- 
ence of  which  they  make  continual  advances.  The  form  of  ex- 
pression in  the  last  clause  4^one  used  in  the  Law  to  denote  the 
stated  appearance  of  the  Israelites  at  the  sanctuary.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  whole  verse  is,  that  they  who  answer  to  the  previous 
description  shall  finally  attain  to  the  full  fruition  of  that  union 
with  God  in  which  their  happiness  resides. 

9  (8.)  Jehovah,  God,  (Lord  of)  Hosts,  hear  my  prayer  ;  give 
ear,  oh  God  of  Jacob  I  Selah.  Here  begins  the  second  part  of 
the  psalm,  containing  the  petition  founded  on  the  preceding  view 
of  the  happiness  arising  from  communion  with  God.  The  names 
applied  to  him  suggest,  as  usual,  the  grounds  of  the  petition, 
namely,  his  eternity,  self-existence,  sovereignty,  and.  covenant- 
relation  to  his  people. 

10  (9.)  {Oh)  our  shield,  see,  {oh)  God,  and  behold  the /ace  oj* 
thine  Anointed.    Some  make  the  first  noun  the  object  of  the  verb 
that  follows,  see  our  shield  ;  but  in  v.  12  (11)  God  himself  is  sn 
described,  as  well  as  in  Ps.  iii.  4  (3.)  Gen.  xv.  1.     Its  position 
as  a  vocative,  is  certainly  unusual,  but  seems   to   be   emphatic 
Behold  thi  face,\.  e.  behold  it  favourably,  look  upon  it  gracious!? 


PSALM    LXXXIV.  253 

Thine  Anointid  (Ovie),  i.  e.  David,  by  whom,  or  in  whose  name, 
the  psalm  was  written. 

11.  (10.)  For  better  (is)  a  day  in  thy  courts  than  a  thousand  ;  1 
have  chosen  to  occnpy  the  threshold  in  the  house  of  my  God^  rather 
than  dwell  in  tents  of  v:icled7iess.  The  comparison  in  both 
clauses  is  expressed,  as  usual  in  Hebrew,  by  the  preposition //'om, 
away  from.  '  Good  from,  i.  e.  in  comparison  with,  a  thousand.'  '  I 
choose  from  dwelling,  i.  e.  rather  than  to  dwell.'  The  first  clauso 
of  course  means  that  one  day  in  God's  courts  is  better  than  a  thou- 
sand elsewhere.  /  have  chosen.,  and  do  still  choose,  a  stronger 
expression  than  /  icould  choose  or  would  rather.  The  next  verb 
occurs  only  here  and  is  evidently  formed  from  the  noun  (t]3^  sill 
or  threshold.  To  he  a  door-keeyer  (guard  the  threshold),  and  to 
lie  on  the  threshold^  are  too  specific,  and  appear  to  add  some- 
thing to  the  sense  of  the  original.  The  idea  perhaps  is,  that  he  would 
rather  stand  at  the  door  of  God's  house  and  look  in  (which  waa 
all  that  the  worshippers  could  do  at  the  Mosaic  sanctuary)  than 
dwell  in  the  interior  of  tents  or  houses  where  iniquity  prevailed 
The  use  of  the  word  tents  in  this  clause  makes  it  still  more 
probable  that  the  tabernacle,  not  the  temple,  is  meant  by  the 
parallel  expression,  house  of  God. 

12  (11.)  For  a  sun  and  a  shield  is  Jehovah.,  God ;  grace  and 
glory  will  Jehovah  give ;  he  tcill  not  refuse  (any  thing)  good  to 
those  walking  in  a  jperfect  (way.)  The  for  shows  that  this  verse 
gives  a  reason  for  the  preference  expressed  in  that  before  it, 
God  is  here  called  a  sun,  as  he  is  called  a  light  in  Ps.  xxvii.  1. 
Both  these  figures  represent  him  as  a  source  of  happiness  ;  that 
of  a  shield  describes  him  as  a  source  of  safety,  or  a  strong  pro- 
tector. Grace  and  glory  (or  honour)  are  related  as  the  cause  and 
the  effect.  The  latter  includes  all  the  sensible  fruits  and  mani- 
festations of  the  divine  favour.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlix.  17  (16 
1%  a  perfect  is  by  some  understood  to  mean  as  i   'perfect  person. 


254  PSALM    LXXXV. 

i.  e   perfectly,  uprightly.    See  above   on  Ps.  xv  2.  xviii.  24(23) 
and  compare  Gen.  xvii.  1 , 

13  (12.)  Jehocah.,  (Lord  of)  Hosts,  happy  the  man  irustmg  ir. 
thee.  The  participle  is  expressive  of  habitual  reliance.  Trusting 
in  thee  J  as  1  do. 


PSALM   LXXXY. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  To  (or  hy)  the  Sons  of  Korah. 
A  Psalm.  On  the  ground  of  former  benefits,  the  Church  prays 
for  deliverance  from  present  evils,  vs.  2 — S  (1 — 7),  and  joyfully 
anticipates  a  favourable  answer,  vs.  9 — 14  (8 — 13.)  There  is 
nothing  in  the  title,  or  the  psalm  itself,  to  determine  its  date  or 
confine  its  application  to  any  particular  historical  occasion.  It 
seems  to  be  appropriate  to  every  case  in  which  the  fulfilment  of 
the  promise  (Lev.  xxvi.  3 — 13)  was  suspended  or  withheld. 

2(1.)  Thou  least  gracious,  oh  Jehovah,  to  thy  land  ;  thou  didst 
return  (to)  the  captivity  of  Jacob.  Some  interpreters  refer  these 
words  to  favours  recently  experienced  ;  thou  hast  (now)  been  gra- 
cious, etc.  But  it  is  clear  from  vs.  5 — 8  (4 — 7),  that  the  people 
•were  actually  suffering,  and  that  the  acknowledgments  in  vs.  2 — 4 
(1 — 3)  must  relate  to  former  instances  of  God's  compassion. 
The  idea,  that  the  benefit  acknowledged  was  deliverance  from  tho 
Babylonish  exile,  has  arisen  from  a  false  interpretation  of  tho 
last  clause,  for  the  true  sense  of  which  see  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7. 
Captivity  is  a  common  figure  for  distress,  and  God's  revisiting 
-he  captives  for  relief  from  it.     It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  thai 


PSALM  LXXXV.  255 

the  favour  shown  was  to  the  land^  i.  e.  to  the  people  while  in  pos- 
session and  actual  occupation  of  it. 

3  (2.)  Thou  didst  take  aicay  the  guilt  of  thy  people  ;  thou  didst 
cover  all  their  sin.  Selah.  The  same  form  of  expression  occurs 
above,  in  Ps.  xxxii.  1,  5  Both  verbs  suggest  the  idea  of  atone- 
ment as  well  as  pardon. 

4  (3. )  Thou  didst  withdraw  all  thy  wrath  ;  thou  didst  turn  from 
the  heat  of  thine  anger.  There  is  probably  an  allusion  here  to 
the  praj'er  of  Moses  in  Ex.  xxxii.  12.  The  Hebrew  verb  of  the 
second  clause  corresponds  strictly  to  the  English  verb  in  its  transi- 
tive or  causative  sense,  it  is  used,  however,  in  the  same  way  by 
Ezekiel  (xviii.  30,  32),  who,  in  one  place  (xiv.  6),  has  the 
phrase  to  turn  away  the  face.,  of  which  the  other  may  be  an  ab- 
breviation. 

D  (4.)  Return  to  us.,  oh  God  of  our  salvation,  and  cease  thine 
anger  towards  us.  The  recollection  of  former  mercies  is  here 
followed  by  a  prayer  for  their  renewal.  '  As  thou  hast  had  pity 
on  thy  people  heretofore,  so  have  pity  on  them  now.'  Retuini  to 
us.,  revisit  us  again  in  mercy.  See  above,  on  v.  2  (1),  and  on  Ps. 
xiv.  7.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  means  to  annul  or  nullify, 
put  an  end  to,  cause  to  cease.  It  occurs  above,  Ps.  xxxiii.  10 
The  word  translated  anger  is  one  which  properly  expresses  a 
mixed  feeling  of  grief  and  indignation.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi. 
7(6.) 

7(6.)  Forever  wilt  thou  he  angry  at  us?  Wilt  thou  dra/o 
vut  thine  anger  to  generation  and  generation  ?  The  first  Hebrew 
word  strictly  means  to  ages  or  eternities.  The  verb  to  draw  out 
protract,  continue,  is  used  in  a  favourable  sense,  Ps.  xxxvi 
11  (10.)  The  idea  here  expressed  is  the  opposite  of  that  in  Pa 
Kxx.  6  (5.) 


250  PSALM    LXXXV. 

8  (7.)  Wilt  thou  not  return  (and)  quicken  us,  (and)  shall  (not) 
,'//?/  'people  reioice  in  thee  ?  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
'xxi.  20.  Ixxx.  19  (18.)  Dent,  xxxii.  39.  Hos.  vi.  2.  With  the 
second  compare  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  ix.  3  (2.)  xl.  17  (^16.)  'Wilt 
thou  not  revisit  us  in  mercy,  raise  us  from  the  dead  or  dying 
state  in  which  we  now  are,  and  give  us,  as  thy  people,  fresh  oc- 
casion to  rejoice  in  our  relation  to  thee,  and  in  our  union  and 
communion  with  thee  .''  The  construction  which  continues  the 
interrogation  through  the  sentence  is  much  simpler  and  more  na- 
tural than  that  which  makes  the  second  clause  contingent  and 
dependent  on  the  first,  that  thy  people  may  rejoice  in  thee.  At 
the  same  time,  the  interrogative  form  expresses  a  more  confident 
anticipation  than  a  bare  petition. 

S  (7.)  Let  us  see,  oh  Lord,  thy  mercy;  and  thy  salvation  tnou 
wilt  give  unto  us.  The  first  petition  is,  that  God  would  cause 
them  to  experience  his  mercy.  In  the  last  clause,  as  in  many 
other  places,  the  form  of  petition  is  insensibly  exchanged  for  that 
of  anticipation.  As  if  he  had  said,  '  We  can  confidently  ask  thee 
to  show  us  thy  mercy,  for  we  kuow  that  thou  wilt  grant  us  thy 
salvation.' 

9  (S.)  I  will  hear  ivhat  the  Mighty  {God),  Jehovah,  will  speak; 
fdr  he  will  speak  peace  to  his  people  and  to  his  saints  ;  and  let  them 
not  return  to  folly.  The  first  clause  expresses  the  people's  wil- 
lingness to  hear  and  to  abide  by  God's  decision.  The  second 
gives  the  reason  of  this  willingness,  to  wit,  because  they  know 
that  the  response 'will  be  auspicious.  The  third  assigns  the  ne- 
cessary limitation  to  this  confidence,  by  stating  the  condition  of 
God's  favourable  answer.  The  fziilure  to  comply  with  this  con- 
dition accounts  for  the  partial  fulfilment  of  the  promise,  both  in 
the  case  of  individuals  and  of  the  church  at  large.  Sec  above, 
on  Ps  Ixxx.  19  (18),  and  compare  the  promise  in  Lev.  xxvi 
3 — 13      His  saints,  the  objects  of  his  mercy  and  subjects  of  his 


PSALM    LXXXV.  2^1 

grace.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iv.  4  (3.)  And  let  them  not  turn  ii 
equivalent  to  saying,  so  (or  therefore)  let  them  not  turn.  The 
real  connection  of  the  clauses  might  be  brjught  out  still  more 
clearly  in  our  idiom  by  the  paraphrase,  '  provided  they  do  not  re- 
turn to  folly.' 

10  (9.)  Only  nigh  to  his  fearers  (is)  his  salvation,  for  glory  to 
dwell  in  our  land.  As  the  limitation  of  the  promise  to  those 
fearing  God  is  an  essential  stroke  in  this  description,  there  is  no 
need  of  departing  from  the  strict  sense  of  (Tjis:)  the  particle  with 
which  the  sentence  opens.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixii.  10  (9.)  Ixviii. 
7  (6),  and  compare  Ps.  Iviii.  12  (11.)  Ixxiii.  1.  The  meaning 
then  is  that  salvation  is  provided  by  God's  mercy  for  none  but 
those  who  fear  him.  The  last  clause,  which  is  literally  rendered 
above,  is  equivalent  to  saying  in  our  idiom,  that  glory  may  dwell 
in  our  land.  Glory  has  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  12  (11.) 
Dwellj  reside  permanently,  long  continue. 

11  (12.)  Mercy  and  truth  have  met  (together);  righteousness 
and  peace  have  kissed  (each  other.)  By  truth,  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  truth  of  God's  promises,  the  divine  veracity.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  XXV.  5.  The  same  combination  with  grace  or  mercy 
occurs  above,  in  Ps.  xxv.  10.  xl.  11  (10.)  Ivii.  4  (3.)  Ixi.  8  (7), 
and  below,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15  (14.)  Righteousness,  considered  as  the 
gift  of  God,  justification,  whether  judicial  or  providential.  Peace^ 
immunity  from  all  disturbing  causes,  which  implies  prosperity  ot 
every  kind.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  3.  Have  met,  in  a  peace- 
able and  friendly  manner,  an  idea  still  more  strongly  expressed 
by  the  kiss  of  reconciliation  or  affection  in  the  last  clause.  A  still 
more  pointed  and  emphatic  meaning  may  be  put  upon  the  sentence 
by  supposing  it  to  mean,  that  God's  mercy  or  free  favour  to  the 
undeservino"  is  now  seen  to  be  consistent  with  his  truth,  which  was 
pledged  for  their  destruction,  and  their  peace  or  safety  with  hw 


*^58  PSALM  LXXXV. 

rijjhteousness  or  justice,  wbicTi  miglit  otherwise  have  seemed  to  be 
wholly  incompatible. 

12  (11.)  Truth  from  the  earth  is  springing,  and  righteovsness 
from  heaven  looks  down.  The  truth  of  God's  promise  may  be 
Been,  as  it  were,  springing  from  the  earth  in  its  abundant  fruits, 
and  his  rectitude,  or  faithfulness  to  his  engagements,  looking  down 
from  heaven  in  the  rain  and  sunshine.  By  this  bold  and  beautiful 
conception,  the  certainty  of  God's  providential  care  is  expressed 
more  strongly  than  it  could  be  by  any  mere  didactic  statement. 
The  beauty  of  the  image  in  the  last  clause  is  heightened  by  the 
use  of  a  verb  which  originally  means  to  lean  or  bend  over,  for  the 
purpose  of  gazing  down  upon  a  lower  object.  See  above,  on  Ps 
xiv.  2,  and  compare  Judg.  v.  28.  2  Sam.  vi.  16. 

13  (12.)  Jehovah  also  will  give  the  (material  or  earthly),  g-oo/i, 
a7id  our  land  will  give  its  produce  (or  increase.)  In  other  words, 
the  promise  shall  be  verified  that  stands  recorded  in  the  Law 
(Lev.  xxvi.  4),  from  which  the  form  of  expression  is  borrowed,  as 
it  is  in  Ps.  Ixvii.  7  (6.) 

14  (13.)  Righteousness  hefore  him  shall  march,  and  set  (us)  in 
ihe  way  of  his  steps.  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  is  a  poetical  in- 
tensive form  of  one  which  means  to  walk  or  go.  The  idea  here 
expressed  seems  to  be  that  of  public  and  solemn  manifestation. 
The  last  clause  is  obscure  and  of  dubious  construction.  The  latest 
interpreters  understand  it  as  meaning,  and  set  its  steps  for  a  way., 
i.  e.  mark  out  by  its  own  steps  the  way  in  which  we  are  to  walk, 
^.'his  yields,  in  the  end,  the  same  sense  as  the  common  version 
Above  given. 


PSALM   I  XXXV J.  259 


PSALM     LXXXYI. 

1.  A  Prayer.  By  David.  Incline..^  oh  Jehovah .^  thine  ear 
(and)  ansicer  me^for  wretched  and  needy  (am)  /.  The  whole 
psalm  is  called  a  prayer,  because  entirely  made  up,  either  of  di- 
rect petitions,  or  of  arguments  intended  to  enforce  them.  The 
tone  and  substance  of  the  composition  are  well  suited  to  David's 
situation  in  his  days  of  suiFering  at  the  hands  of  Saul  or  Absalom 
more  probably  the  latter,  on  account  of  the  repeated  allusions  to 
deliverance  from  former  trials  of  the  same  kind.  Some  account 
for  the  position  of  this  psalm  in  the  midst  of  a  series  inscribed  to 
the  Sons  of  Korah.,  by  supposing  that  the  latter  composed  it  in  the 
person  or  the  spirit  of  David.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  1. 
The  same  hypothesis  is  used  by  these  interpreters  to  explain  the 
many  forms  of  expression  borrowed  from  other  psalms  of  David  ; 
as  if  the  Sons  of  Korah  meant  to  comfort  him  by  the  repetition  of 
his  own  consolatory  words  in  other  cases.  Compare  2  Cor.  i.  4. 
The  psalm  admits  of  no  minute  or  artificial  subdivision.  The  only 
marked  diversity  of  the  parts  is,  that  in  vs.  1 — 10,  petition  is  com- 
bined with  argument,  whereas  in  vs.  11 — 17,  it  is  more  unmixed. 
The  first  ground  or  reason  is  derived,  in  this  verse,  from  the  ur- 
gency of  the  necessity.  At  the  same  time,  there  is  a  tacit  claim  to 
God's  protection,  on  the  ground  that  he  who  asks  it  is  one  of  his 
own  people.  According  to  the  usage  of  the  psalms,  the  afflicted 
and  the  needy  denote  sufferers  among  God's  people.  See  above^ 
m  Ps  X.  2. 


260  PSALM    LXXXVl. 

2.  Keep  my  soul  ^  for  a  gracious  one  (am)  I ;  save  thy  sen  ant, 
even  thou,  my  God,  the  (servant)  trusting  in  thee.  He  prays  for 
the  safe-keeping  of  Lis  soul  or  life,  because  it  was  this  that  the 
enemy  threatened.  See  below,  v.  14.  The  grounds  assigned  are 
two,  or  rather  one  exhibited  in  two  forms.  The  first  is,  that  he 
is  a  (T^cn)  saint  or  gracious  one,  a  merciful  object  of  God's  mercy. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxv.  8  (7.)  The  other  is  that,  as  a  servant 
of  Jehovah,  he  believes  and  trusts  in  him  alone.  The  original 
expression  is  not  in  but  to  or  towards  thee,  as  if  implying  that 
the  believer  turns  or  looks  away  from  every  other  ground  of  con- 
fidence to  God  alone.  The  same  construction  occurs  twice  above, 
in  Ps.  iv.  6  (5.)  xxxi.  7  (6.) 

3.  Be  gracious  unto  me,  oh  Lord,  for  unto  thee  will  I  cry  all 
the  day.  The  prayer  is  still  substantially  the  same,  but  enforced 
by  two  additional  reasons  ;  one  implied  in  the  divine  name  used, 
to  wit,  that  God  is  his  sovereign  and  as  such  bound  to  protect  his 
subject ;  the  other  expressed,  namely,  that  his  subject  never 
eeases  to  invoke  his  aid.  The  future  meaning  of  the  verb  includes 
the  present,  but  suggests  the  additional  idea  of  determination  to 
pursue  the  same  course  till  the  blessing  is  obtained.  Compare 
Gen.  xxxii.  27  (26.)  Luke  xviii.  1.  All  the  day  is  a  common 
idiomatic  phrase  equivalent  to  all  the  time  in  English,  and  may 
therefore  be  considered  as  including,  though  it  does  not  formally 
express,  the  idea  of  every  day  or  daily.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii. 
4,11  (3,10.) 

4.  Gladden  the  soul  of  thy  servant,  for  unto  thee.  Lord,  my  soul 
do  I  raise.  The  first  clause  is  not  a  mere  periphrasis  for  "make 
me  glad,"  or  "cause  me  to  rejoice."  It  means  "make  me 
heartily  rejoice,  because  I  am  thy  servant,"  thus  suggesting  a  new 
ground  of  his  petition,  difi'erent  in  form  although  substantially 
identical  with  that  in  the  preceding  verse.  A  similar  analogy 
exists  between  the   second  clause  of  that  verse   and  the  second 


PSALM     LXXXV^I. 


261 


claasG  of  this,  the  form  of  which,  however,  is  borrowed  from  Ps. 
XXV.  1.  Here,  as  there,  to  raise  the  soul  to  God  is  to  regard 
him  with  affection  and  strong  confidence.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxiv.  4.  At  the  same  time,  there  is  an  allusion  to  the  strict 
sense  of  the  Hebrew  verb,  as  if  he  had  said,  '  make  my  soul  re- 
joice, since  \  bring  it  up  or  raise  it  to  thee  for  this  very  pur- 
pose.'    The  force  of  the  future  is  the  same  as  in  v.  4. 

5  For  thou,  Lord,  art  good  and  forgiving  and  rich  in  mercy 
to  all  {those)  invoking  thee.  God  is  not  only  the  sovereign  of 
his  people,  and  as  such  bound  by  covenant  to  protect  them,  but 
benevolent  or  good  in  his  own  nature  ;  and  that  not  merely  in 
the  general,  or  in  reference  to  all  his  creatures,  but  especially  in 
reference  to  the  undeserving  and  the  ill-deserving  ;  that  is,  to 
such  of  them  as  really  desire  his  favour,  and  evince  their  willing- 
ness to  have  it  by  the  act  of  asking  for  it.  Rich  (in)  mercy, 
literally,  great  (or  much,  abundant,  plenteous,  as  to)  mercy. 
This  expression,  and  indeed  the  whole  description,  is  borrowed 
from  Ex.  xxxiv.  6. 

6.  Give  ear,  Jehovah,  to  my  'prayer,  and  attend  (or  hearken)  to 
the  voice  of  my  s^qypHcations.  The  same  verbs  are  used  in  a 
similar  connection,  Ps.  v.  2,  3  (1,  2.)  The  last  word  in  Hebrew, 
according  to  its  etymology,  denotes  specifically  prayers  for  favour, 
grace,  or  mercy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii,  6.  xxxi.  23  (22.) 
There  is  no  new  ground  or  argument  suggested  here,  beyond  what 
is  implied  in  the  use  of  the  word  just  explained,  and  of  the  divine 
name  in  the  first  clause. 

7.  In  the  day  of  my  distress  I  will  invoke  thee,  for  thou  wilt 
answer  me.  The  future  includes  the  present,  I  do  and  will  in- 
voke thee,  call  thee  to  my  aid,  or  call  upon  thee  for  assistance. 
The  second  clause  assigns  the  reason,  namely,  his  convii  nou  that 
he  shall   not  call  in  vain.     The  implied  ground  of  this  con  vie- 


262  PSALM   LXXXVI. 

tion  is,  that  he  never  does  and  never  did  call,  in   the    exercise  of 
faith,  without  being  favourably  heard  or  answered. 

8.  There  is  none  like  thee  among  thegods^  oh  Lord ^  and  nothing 
like  thy  icwrks  (among  their  works.)  This  last,  which  might  seem 
to  be  needed  to  complete  the  sense  and  the  parallelism,  was  sup- 
pressed perhaps  in  order  to  suggest  the  idea,  that  the  gods  have 
no  works,  even  the  gentiles  who  worship  them  being  creatures  of 
Jehovah,  as  is  expressly  » tated  in  the  next  verse.  Even  the  full 
comparison,  however,  in  the  first  clause,  does  not  necessarily  con- 
cede the  personal  existence  of  the  gods  themselves,  but  only  that 
of  their  material  images,  or  at  most  the  belief  of  their  besotted 
worshippers.  Compare  with  this  verse  its  Mosaic  models.  Ex 
XV.  11.  Deut.  iii.  24,  and  the  Davidic  imitations  of  them,  2  Sam. 
vii.  22.  Ps.  xviii.  32  f31.)  The  exclusive  godhead  of  Jehovah 
is  here  urged  as  a  distinct  ground  or  reason  of  importunate  pe- 
tition to  him. 

9.  All  nations  uhich  thou  hast  made  shall  come  and  uwrship  he- 
fore  thee,  oh  Lord,  and  give  honour  to  thy  name.  The  common 
relation  of  Jehovah  to  all  men  as  their  Maker,  although  now  de- 
nied by  most  nations,  shall  be  one  day  universally  acknowledged, 
not  in  word  merely,  but  in  act,  the  most  expressive  act  of  wor- 
ship, involving  a  believing  recognition  of  the  previous  display  of 
God's  perfections,  in  the  language  of  the  Scriptures  called  his 
name.  This  prospective  view  of  the  conversion  of  the  world  to' 
the  belief  and  service  of  its  Maker  shows  how  far  the  Old  Testa- 
ment writers  were  from  cherishing  or  countenancing  the  contracted 
nationality  of  the  later  and  the  less  enlightened  Jews.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxii.  28,  29  (27,  28.)  xlv.  13—17  (12— 16.;  xlvii.  10  (9), 
and  compare  Jer.  xvi.  19.  Zeph.  ii.  11.  Zech.  xiv.  9,  16. 

10.  For  great  (art)  thov,  awl  doing  ivonders,  thou  (art)  God 
alom,.     The  only  new  idea  here  is  the  evidence  afforded  of   Je 


PSALM  LXXXVT.  263 

hovah's  sole  divinity  by  his  miraculous  performances.  The  for, 
at  the  beginning  of  the  verse,  implies  that  these  proofs  of  divinity 
must  sooner  or  later  have  their  full  effect. 

11.  Guide  mt^  Jehovah^  (in)  thy  way  ;  I  icillwalk  iii  thy  truth  ^ 
unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name.  The  common  version  of  the 
first  verb  {teach  me)  is  too  vague,  as  it  fails  to  bring  out  the  pe- 
culiar suitableness  of  the  term  to  express  the  kind  of  teaching 
here  specifically  meant.  The  original  meaning  of  the  Hebrew 
word  is  to  point  out  or  mark  the  way.  According  to  the  usao-e 
of  the  Psalms,  the  way  of  God  is  here  the  course  of  his  provi- 
dential dealings,  and  his  truth  the  truth  of  his  promises,  to  walk 
in  which  is  to  assent  to  them  or  acquiesce  in  them  and  trust  them. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  4, 5.  xxvi.  3.  That  he  may  be  enabled  to 
do  this  without  distraction  or  reserve,  is  the  prayer  of  the  last 
clause.  The  idea  of  a  united  heart  is  the  opposite  of  a  double 
heart.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xii.  3  (2),  and  compare  James  iv.  8. 

12.  /  loill  thank  thee.,  oh  Lord  my  God^  loith  all  my  hearty  and  1 
will  honour  thy  name  forever .  The  first  verb  means  not  merely  to 
praise  in  general,  but  to  praise  for  benefits  received.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.)  This  verse  describes  the  effect  that  is  to  follow 
from  the  granting  of  the  prayer  at  the  close  of  the  preceding 
verse.  When  his  heart  is  once  united  to  fear  God,  cordial  and 
perpetual  thanksgiving  will  follow  as  a  necessary  consequence. 

13.  For  thy  mercy  (has  been)  great  towards  me^  and  thou  hast 
freed  my  soul  from  the  loicest  hell.  The  most  natural  explana- 
tion of  these  words  is  that  which  makes  them  an  appeal  to 
former  mercies  as  a  reason  for  expecting  new  ones.  If  the  psalm 
belongs  to  the  period  of  Absalom's  rebellion  (soe  above,  on  v.  1), 
the  reference  here  may  be  to  David's  dangers  and  deliverances 
from  Saul.  Towards  me^  litei-ally,  on  me^  with  an  implication  of 
descent  from  above.     Hell^  in  the  wide  sense  of  death  or  the  stata 


204  PSALM   LXXXVI. 

• 

of  the  dead.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.)  Lowest^  or  lower, 
lying  under,  subterraneous.  The  expression  is  derived  from 
Deut.  xxxii.  22.  With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  xviii.  6  (5.) 
Ivi.  14  (13.) 

14.  Oh  God^  proud  (men)  have  arisen  against  me,  and  an  as- 
scmbly  of  violent  (men)  have  sought  my  soul^  and  have  not  set  thee 
before  them.  Nearly  the  same  words  had  been  used  by  David  in 
reference  to  the  Sauline  persecution,  Ps.  liv.  5  (3).  But  in- 
stead of  aliens,  he  here  speaks  of  proud  ones,  and  before  the 
parallel  term  violent,  oppressive,  or  tyrannical  (Ps.  xxxvii.  35), 
inserts  congregation  or  assembly,  as  if  to  imply  organization, 
both  which  variations  agree  well  with  the  hypothesis  that  this 
psalm  relates  to  the  revolt  of  Absalom. 


15.  And  thou,  Lord,  (art)  a  God  merciful  and  gracious, 
suffering,  and  plenteous  in  mercy  and  truth.  He  here  appeals  to 
God's  description  of  himself  as  warranting  his  prayer  for  mercy 
See  Ex.  xxxiv.  6,  and  the  imitations  or  quotations  of  it  by  Joel 
(ii.  13)  and  Jonah  (iv.  2.)     See  also  Ps.  Ixxxv.  11  (10.) 

16.  Turn  towards  me  and  be  gracious  to  me  ;  give  thy  strength 
to  thy  servant,  and  grant  salvation  to  the  son  of  thy  handmaid. 
The  first  prayer  implies  that  God's  face  had  previously  been 
averted.  Give  thy  strength,  exercise  it  for  his  protection.  The 
son  of  thy  handmaid  or  female  slave,  i.  e.  a  home-born  and 
hereditary  servant,  and  as  such  entitled  to  defence  and  sustenance 
The  expression  is  borrowed  from  Ex.  xxiii.  12,  and  re-appears  in 
Ps.  cxvi.  16.  The  last  verb  is  the  common  one  meaning  to  save, 
but  here  comnected  with  its  object  by  the  proposition  to. 

17.  Shoic  me  a  token  for  good,  and,  (then)  my  haters  shall  see. 
and  be  shamed,  because  thov,,  Jehovah,  hast  helped  me  and  comforted 
rr.e.     The   phrase  translated  shoia  me  strictly  means  do  with  me^ 


PSALM    LXXXVll  265 

and  is  here  used  because  the  sign  or  token  asked  is  neither  a  ver- 
bal d'^claration  nor  a  miracle,  but  a  practical  or  providential 
indication  of  God's  favour,  furnished  by  his  dealings  with  him. 
The  word  translated  good  is  the  one  used  in  Ps.  xvi.  2,  where  as 
here  it  has  the  sense  of  physical  good,  welfare,  happiness.  A 
token  for  good  is  a  pledge  of  its  possession  and  enjoyment.  The 
oblique  construction,  that  my  haters  may  see^  is  really  included  in 
the  direct  future.  Shamed,  surprised,  disappointed,  and  con- 
founded. The  preterites  in  the  last  clause  have  reference  to  the 
time  when  this  effect  shall  be  produced  upon  the  enemy,  and 
when  the  divine  help  and  consolation  shall  have  been  already 
granted. 


PSALM     L  XXXYII. 

1.  To  (or  hy)  the  SonsofKorah.  A  Fsalm.  A  Song.  His 
foundation  (is)  in  the  hills  of  holiness.  The  first  title  decides 
nothing  as  to  the  date  of  composition.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  1. 
xlvi.  1.  xlvii.  1.  xlviii.  1.  It  is  not  only  a  psalm,  a  religious 
lyric,  but  a  song,  i.  e.  a  song  of  praise  or  triumph.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  1.  This  agrees  well  with  the  tone  of  the  compo- 
sition, which  seems  to  indicate  some  great  deliverance  as  its  his- 
torical occasion.  The  only  one  that  can  be  fixed  upon  with  any 
great  degree  of  probability  is  that  of  Hezekiah  from  the  power  of 
x\ssyria.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  1.  Ixxv.  1.  Ixxvi.  1.  In  view 
of  some  such  signal  intervention  in  behalf  of  Israel,  the  psalm 
celebrates  the  actual  security  of  Zion,  vs.  1 — 3,  and  anticipates 
its  future  honours  as  the  spiritual  birth-place  of  the  nations,  vs. 
4 — 7.      His  fuundation,  that  which  he  has  founded,  meaning  his 

VOL.    II  12 


266  fSALM   LXXXViT. 

sanctuary  and  his  theocratical  kingdom.  Ihe  plural  expression^ 
kills  of  holiness^  means  Zion  in  the  wide  seise,  includino;  all  the 
heights  on  which  Jerusalem  was  built.  It  was  peculiarly  ap- 
propriate in  this  case,  if  the  psalm  was  i/ritten  in  the  reign  of 
Hezekiah,  because  at  that  time  Zion,  in  {}.:.&  strict  sense,  was  no 
longer  the  exclusive  residence  of  God  or.  earth.  At  the  same 
time,  there  is  particular  reference  to  Zion  w  th<>  citadel,  in  which 
the  strength  of  the  royal  city  was  concent,  ated 

2.  Jehovah  loves  the  gates  of  Zion  more  "ham  all  the  dwellings  of 
Jacol.  This  description  of  Jehovah's  choice  of  Zion  as  his 
dwelling-place  is  similar  to  that  in  Pa.  Ixxviii.  68.  The  gates  of 
a  walled  city  give  access  to  it  and  power  over  it,  and  are  there- 
fore naturally  here  put  for  the  whole.  The  Hebrew  participle 
(loving)  implies  constant  and  habitual  attachment. 

3.  Glorious  things  (have  been)  spoken  in  th^e^  oh  City  of  God  ! 
Selah.  Glorious  or  honourable  things,  in  the  way  of  prophecy 
and  promise,  the  fulfilment  of  which  is  here  implied.  As  if  he 
had  said,  the  promises  respecting  thee  are  great,  but  they  are  or 
shall  be  fully  verified.  So  too  in  the  other  clause  the  meanmg 
is,  thou  art  well  called  the  city  of  God,  for  he  is  in  thee,  to  pro- 
tect and  honour  thee.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  5  (4.)  xlviii.  2, 
9  (1,  8.)  Instead  oiin  thee  some  read  of  thee,  but  the  former  is 
entitled  to  the  preference  ;  first,  because  it  is  the  strict  sense  and 
therefore  not  to  be  rejected  without  reason  ;  then,  because  it 
really  includes  the  other,  but  is  not  included  in  it ;  lastly,  be- 
cause it  suggests  the  additional  idea  of  the  holy  city,  as  the  scene, 
no  less  than  the  theme,  of  the  prophetic  visions. 

4.  I  will  mention  Rahab  and  Babylon  as  knowing  me.  io, 
Philistia  and  Tyre  with  Ethiopia  !  This  {one)  was  born  there. 
Interpreters  are  commonly  agreed,  that  these  are  the  words  ol 
God  himself,  though  not  expressly  so  announced.     The  first  verb 


PSALM  LXXXVri. 


261 


in  Hebrew  is  a  causative,  I  will  make  to  be  remembered,  celebrate, 
commemorate.  See  above,  Ps.  xx.  8  (7.)  xlv.  18  (17.)  Ixxi.  16 
(15.)  Ixxvii.  12  (11.)  It  here  means  to  announce  or  proclaim. 
To  know  God  is  to  love  him  and  to  be  his  servant.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxxvi.  11  (10),  and  compare  Isai.  xix.  21.  Those  knowing 
him  in  this  sense  are  his  people.  As  knowing  me,  literally,  to  those 
knowing  me,  i.  e.  belonging  to  their  number.  Or  the  sense  may  be, 
fo7-  knowers  of  me,  I  will  recognize  and  reckon  them  for  such.  Com- 
pare the  Hebrew  of  Ex.  xxi.  2,  he  shall  go  out  free,  literally, /or 
free,  i.  e.  as  free.  The  nations  thus  announced  as  belonging  to 
God's  people  are  mere  samples  of  the  whole  gentile  world,  those 
being  chosen  for  the  purpose,  who  were  or  had  been  most  con- 
nected with  the  history  of  Israel,  and  were  at  the  same  time  ruling 
powers  of  antiquity.  Rahah  is  an  enigmatical  name  given  to 
Egypt  by  the  Prophet  Isaiah.  See  below,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  11  (10), 
and  compare  my  notes  on  Isai.  xxx.  7.  li.  9.  Babylon  is  named 
instead  of  Assyria,  perhaps  because  in  Hezekiah's  reign  the  for- 
mer began  to  supersede  the  latter  as  the  dominant  power  of 
Western  Asia.  See  my  note  on  Isai.  xxxix.  1.  Compare  the 
prophecy  respecting  Egypt  and  Assyria  in  Isai.  xix.  23,  24. 
Philistia  and  Tyre  are  put  together,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  8  (7. )  As 
to  the  latter,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  13  (12),  and  compare  Isai. 
xxiii.  18.  The  conversion  of  Cush  or  Ethiopia  had  already  been 
foretold  by  David,  Ps.  Ixviii.  32  (31),  and  by  Solomon,  Ps.  Ixxii. 
10.  The  last  words  are  obscure,  but  may  be  rendered  clearer  by 
supplying  before  them,  as  to  each  of  these  it  shall  he  said.  The 
pronoun  {this)  is  then  to  be  referred  not  to  individual  men,  but  to 
the  nations  as  ideal  persons.  The  idea  of  regeneration  or  spiritual 
birth,  applied  in  the  New  Testament  to  individuals,  is  here  ap- 
plied to  nations,  who  are  represented  as  born  again,  when  received 
into  communion  with  the  church  or  chosen  people. 

5.  And   of  Zion  it  shall  he  said,  (This)  man  and  (that)  man 
was  burn  in  Jier,  and  He  tvill  establish  her,  the  Highest.     The  strict 


208  PSALM  LXXXVIl. 

translation  of  the  first  words  is  to  Zion^  but  the  subsequent  use  of  tho 
third  person  {in  her)  shows  that  the  act  described  is  that  of  speak- 
ing of  a  person  in  his  presence,  jet  not  directly  to  him,  or,  as  we 
sometimes  say  in  English,  talking  at  him.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii. 
3  (2.)  Ixxi.  10.  The  idiomatic  phrase  man  and  man  means  every 
one  or  each  one  severally.  See  the  Hebrew  of  Esther  i.  8,  and 
compare  that  of  Lev.  xvii.  10,  13.  The  clause  may  then  be  un- 
derstood as  asserting  of  individuals  what  had  just  been  said  of 
whole  communities,  or  as  repeating  the  latter,  in  a  more  emphatic 
form,  for  the  purpose  of  connecting  it  with  an  additional  promise, 
namely,  that  the  church,  thus  enlarged  by  the  accession  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, shall  be  permanently  established  and  secured.  The  pronoun 
is  emphatic  and  is  rendered  more  so  by  the  epithet  attached  to  ii. 
He  the  Highest.,  or  the  Highest  himself.  The  protector  of  the 
church  is  neither  man  nor  angel,  but  the  supreme  and  sovereign 
God.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvii.  3  (2. J  xlviii.  9  (8.) 

6  Jehovah  shall  county  in  enrolling  the  nations  :  This  [one)  was 
born  there.  Sdah.  The  theme  or  idea  of  the  whole  psalm,  that 
Zion  should  yet  be  the  birth  place  of  all  nations,  is  again  repeated, 
under  a  new  figure,  that  of  registration.  Compare  Ez.  xiii.  9. 
The  meaning  is  that,  as  he  counts  the  nations,  he  shall  say  of  each, 
in  turn  or  one  by  one,  this  one  was  also  born  there.  In  enrolling, 
literally  writing,  i.  e.  inscribing  in  a  list  or  register.  The  com- 
mon version  {when  he  writeth  up  tlie  people)  not  only  fails  to 
reproduce  the  plural  form  of  the  last  word,  or  to  show  in  any  way 
-that  more  than  a  single  nation  is  referred  to,  but  ascribes  the  act 
of  writing  to  the  Lord  himself,  which,  though  not  so  inadmissible 
in  a  figurative  passage  as  some  writers  think  it,  is  not  necessarily 
implied  in  the  original,  where  the  form  of  expression  is  in  thi 
writi,%g,  i.  e.  at  the  time  or  in  the  act  of  doing  so,  whether  the 
act  be  that  of  God  himself  or  merely  done  by  his  authority  and 
uudoi-  his  direction. 


PSALM    LXXXVn.  269 

7.  And  migers  as  well  as  jilaycrs  (shall  be  heard  sayiug),  All 
my  springs  are  in  thee.  The  construction  in  the  first  clause  ia 
peculiar,  singers  as  players.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlviii.  6  (5.^ 
The  image  present  to  the  Psalmist's  mind  seems  to  be  that  of  a 
procession  or  triumphal  march,  composed  of  the  nations  on  their 
way  to  Zion.  At  the  head  of  this  procession  are  the  minstrels, 
who,  as  the  spokesmen  of  the  rest,  acknowledge  that  the  source 
of  their  happiness  is  henceforth  to  b^  sought  in  Zion,  not  as  a 
mere  locality,  but  as  the  place  where  God  was  pleased  to  mani- 
fest his  gracious  presence.  It  mattera  little,  therefore,  whether 
the  closing  words  {in  thee)  be  referred  to  God  directly,  or  to  Zion, 
as  the  channel  through  which  he  imparted  spiritual  blessings  to  tho 
gentiles.  Compare  the  figure  of  a  spring  or  stream  in  Joel  iv. 
IS  (iii.  18.)  Zech.  xiii.  1.  xiv.  8  Ez.  xlvii.  I,  and  see  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixxxiv.  7  (6.)  The  word  joined  with  sin(?;tTS  admits  of  a  two- 
fold derivation,  and  may  either  mean  players  upon  instruments, 
or  still  more  definitely,  pipers^  as  the  players  on  stringed  instru- 
ments are  named  in  the  same  connection,  Ps.  Ixv^ii.  26  (25)  ;  or  as 
some  of  the  latest  interpreters  prefer,  it  may  mean  dancers.^  as  this 
indication  of  joy  was  commonly  practised,  in  ocDnection  with 
singing,  not  only  by  women  but  by  men.  See  abovvS,  on  Ps.  xxx. 
12  (11),  and  below,  on  Ps  cl,  4,  and  compare  Ex.  xv.  20.  2  Sam. 
vi.  16.  The  Selah  at  the  end  of  the  preceding  vorae  shows 
that  the  variations  of  the  main  theme  are  concluded,  and  Sv^parates 
the  body  of  the  psalm  from  this  verse,  which  contains  tJt»-  ^  words 
neither  of  the  Psalmist  nor  the  Church  nor  God  himself  Vut  of 
the  converted  Gentiles. 


270  PSALM    LXXXVni 


PSALM    LXXXVIII. 

1.  A  Song.  A  Psalm.  To  (or  hy)  the  Sons  of  Korah.  To 
the  Chitf  Musician.  Concerning  ajfflictive  sickness.  A  didiictic 
Psalm.  By  Heman  the  Ezrahite.  The  first  word  of  this  title 
elsewhere  denotes  a  song  of  praise  or  triumph.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xlii.  9  (S.)  Ixxxiii.  1.  It  is  here  prefixed,  however,  to  the 
most  despondent  psalm  in  the  collection,  in  which  the  complaints 
and  lamentations  are  relieved  by  no  joyful  anticipations  or  ex- 
pressions of  strong  confidence.  The  only  satisfactory  explana- 
tion of  these  facts  is  afforded  by  the  supposition,  that  Ps.  Ixxxviii 
and  Ixxxix  were  intended  to  constitute  a  pair  or  double  psalm, 
like  the  first  and  second,  third  and  fourth,  ninth  and  tenth,  forty- 
second  and  forty- third,  etc.  The  desponding  lamentations  of 
P.  Ixxxviii  are  then  merely  introductory  to  the  cheering  expec- 
tations of  Ps.  Ixxxix.  This  supposition  also  explains  the  un- 
usual length  of  the  inscription  now  before  us,  the  first  part  of 
which  may  then  be  considered  as  belonging  to  both  psalms,  while 
the  last  clause  corresponds  to  the  title  of  Ps.  Ixxxix.  Afflictive 
sickness^  literally,  sickness  to  aff,ict  or  humhh.  For  the  figurative 
use  of  sickness,  and  the  sense  of  this  inscription,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  liii.  1.  Heman  the  Ezrahite  is  mentioned,  with  Asaph  and 
Ethan,  as  chief  musicians  in  the  reign  of  David,  1  Chron.  vi. 
18  (33.)  XV.  17.  xvi.  41,  42.  The  Heman  and  Ethan,  spoken 
of  in  1  Chron.  ii.  6  as  Ezrahites  (i.  e.  sons  of  Zerah),  and  in 
I  King  V.  11  as  eminent  for  wisdom,  are  supposed  by  some  to  be 


PSALM  LXXXVIir.  271 

different  persons,  because  they  were  of  tlie  tribe  of  Judah,  while 
others  suppose  that  they  were  Levites  adopted  into  that  tribe 
The  Psalm  before  us  neither  requires  nor  admits  of  any  minute 
or  artificial  subdivision. 

2  (1.)  Jehovah,  God  of  my  salvation,  (by)  day  have  I  cried, 
and  by  night,  before  thee.  God  of  my  salvation,  the  God  in 
whom  I  trust  to  save  me,  because  he  is  a  saving  God,  or  God  my 
Saviour.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxv.  5  (4.)  Day  and  by  night 
are  related  to  each  other  here,  as  night  and  by  day  are  in  Ps. 
Ixxvii.  3  (2.)  Before  thee  implies  that  his  cries  were  not  mere 
instinctive  expressions  of  distress,  but  prayers  addressed  to  God. 
With  the  whole  verse  compare  Ps.  xxii.  3  (2.) 

3  (2.)  Let  my  prayer  come  before  thee  ;  incline  thine  ear  unto  my 
cry.  The  first  petition  is  that  his  prayer  may  attract  the  divine 
attention,  which  is  varied  in  the  last  clause  by  the  figure  of  one 
bending  down  to  catch  a  faint  or  distant  cry.  See  above,  on  Ps 
xvii.  6.  xxxi.  3  (2.)  Ixxi.  2. 

4  (3.)  For  sated  with  evils  is  my  soul,  and  my  life  to  the  grave 
draws  near.  Evils,  sufferings,  distresses.  As  life  is  plural  in 
Hebrew,  it  can  be  construed  regularly  with  the  plural  verb  ;  but 
as  this  is  properly  a  causative,  it  may  also  be  construed  with 
evils,  or  with  men  indefinitely,  they  have  brought  my  life  near  to 
the  grave.  The  first  construction  is  favoured  by  the  analogy  of 
Ps.  cvii.  18.  The  grave,  sheol,  the  state  of  the  dead.  See 
above  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.) 

5  (4.)  I  am  reckoned  with  those  going  down  to  the  pit  ;  I  am 
(or  am  become)  as  a  m.an  with  no  strength.  With  the  first  clause 
compare  Ps.  xxviii.  1.  cxliii.  7.  With  no  strength,  literally,  (to 
whom)  there  is  no  strength.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  occurs  only 
here,  but  a  cognate  form   in  Ps.  xxii.  20  (19.)     There  is  in  the 

8 


272  PSALM    LXXXViri. 

original  an  antithesis,  which  cannot  be  conveyed  by  mere  transla* 
tion,  arising  from  the  fact  that  the  first  word  for  man  is  ona 
implying  strength. 

6  (5.)  With  (or  among)  the  dead,  free^  like  the  slain,  lying  in 
thz grave,  whom  thou  remembered  no  more,  and.  they  hy  {or  from) 
thy  hand  are  cut  off.  As  to  be  God's  servant  is  the  highest  privi- 
lege and  honour  (Ps.  Ixxxvi.  16),  so  to  be  free  from  his  service 
(Job  iii  19)  is  to  be  miserable.  The  reference  is  not  to  death 
in  general,  but  to  death  by  violence  and  as  a  punishment.  The 
slain,  literally,  the  (mortally)  loounded.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix. 
27  (26.)  The  latter  half  of  the  verse  contains  a  strong  poetical 
description  of  the  wicked,  as  no  longer  the  objects  of  God's  pro- 
tecting care.  Of  the  two  translations, //•o;?i  and  hy  thy  hand,  the 
first  conveys  the  same  idea  with  the  foregoing  words,  while  the 
second  represents  the  destruction  of  God's  enemies  as  the  work 
of  his  own  hands. 

7(6.)  Thou  hast  ^placed  me  in  a  deep  'pit,  in  dark  places,  in 
abysses.  A  deep  pit,  literally,  a  pit  of  low  or  under  places.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  10  (9.)  Ixxxvi.  13,  and  compare  Ez.  xxvi.  20. 
The  dark  places  are  those  of  the  invisible  and  lower  world. 
Abysses,  deeps,  or  depths  of  water.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  3  (2.) 

8  (7.)  Upon  me  weighs  thy  wrath,  and  (with)  all  thy  waves 
thou  dost  oppress  me.  Selah.  The  word  translated  waves  cor- 
responds etymologically  to  breakers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlii. 
8  (7.)  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xxxviii.  3  (2.)  The 
verb  to  oppress  or  afflict  is  applied  in  historical  prose  to  the  op- 
pression of  Israel  in  Egypt,  Gen.  xv.  13.  Ex.  i.  12.  The  in- 
finitive of  the  same  verb  occurs  in  the  title  of  the  psalm  before  us. 
The  Selah  indicates  the  depth  of  his  distress,  and  the  necessity 
of  a  pause  before  resuming  the  description. 


PSALM    LXXXVIL:.  27'3 

9  (8.)  T/iou  hast  put  far  my  acquaintanc  s.  from  me;  thou  hasi 
made  me  on  alomination  to  them;  (I  am)  J.i't  n;p  and  cannot  come 
forth.  The  circumstance  complained  of  h  the  first  clause,  is  one 
often  mentioned  as  an  aggravation  of  dis<  -e^s.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxxi.l2  (11.)  xxxviii.  12  (11.)  Ixix.  9  (8),  ?  ad  compare  Ps.  xxvii.  10. 
The  next  clause  shows  that  he  complain  5  of  something  more  than 
mere  neglect.  Made  me,  literally,  put  or  placed  me.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxxix.  9  (8.)  There  may  be  an  allusion  to  the  .statement 
m  the  history,  that  the  Israelites  were  an  abomination,  an  object 
of  religious  detestation  and  abhorrence,  to  their  E^^yptian  mas- 
ters. See  Gen.  xliii.  32.  xlvi.  34.  The  last  clause  is  by  some 
understood  to  mean,  I  am  encompassed  by  inextricable  diffi- 
culties. Compare  Lam.  iii.  7.  Job.  iii.  23  <)thers,  with  more 
probability,  connect  it  with  what  gocM  b.-f  y.c,  and  understand  the 
sense  to  be,  that  he  is  not  willing  to  e/./)ose  himself  to  this  un- 
merited hatred  and  contempt.  See  Job.  xxxi.  34,  and  compare 
Ps.  xliv.  14  (13.)  Ixxx.  7  (6.) 

10  (9.)  My  eye  decays  by  reasou  of  affliction  ;  linvoke  thee,  oh 
Jehovah,  every  day  ;  I  spread  out  unto  thee  m,y  hands.  With  the 
first  clause  compare  Ps.  vi.  8  (7  )  xxxi.  10  (9.)  xxxviii.  11  (10.) 
Ixix.  4  (3.)  With  the  last  compare  Ps.  xliv.  21  (20.)  The 
first  Hebrew  verb  is  one  of  rare  occurrence  ;  a  derivative  noun 
is  used  by  Moses,  Deut.  xxviii.  Qb.  The  preterites  represent  *.he 
sufi'ering  as  no  new  thing  but  one  of  long  continuance. 

11  (10.)  Wilt  thou  to  the  dead  do  ivonders,  or  shall  ghost% 
arise  (and;  thank  thee  ?  Sclah.  The  argument  implied  is  that 
the  present  life  is  the  appropriate  time  for  those  favours  which 
belong  to  it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.)  The  word  Rephaim, 
in  the  last  clause,  is  the  name  of  a  Cauaanitish  race  of  giants,  but 
is  applied  poetically  to  the  gigantic  shades  or  spectres  of  the 
dead.  S-ee  my  note  on  Isai.  xir.  9.  Do  wonders^  literally,  won- 
der, as  ir  Ps.  Ixxvii.  12  Cll.) 


274  PSALM    LXXXVIII. 

12  (llj  S/inli  thy  mercy  be  reconciled  in  the  gi'ave^  thy  faith- 
fulness in  destruction?  The  last  word  (Abaddon)  appears  else- 
where in  conjunction  with  the  grave  and  death,  as  a  poetical 
equivalent.     SeeProv.  xv.  11.  Job.  xxvi.  6.  xxviii.  22. 

13  (12.)  Shall  thy  wo'nders  be  known  in  the  dark^  and  thy 
righteousness  in  the  land  of  for  get  fulness  ?  These  are  varied 
metaphorical  descriptions  of  the  state  of  death,  considered  neg- 
atively as  the  privation  or  the  opposite  of  life.  Darkness  is  here 
opposed  to  the  light  of  life  or  of  theliting^  Ps.  Ivi.  14  (13.)  The 
land  of  forgetfulness,  where  men  forget,  Ecc  ix.  5,  6,  10,  and 
are  forgotten,  Ps.  xxxi.  13  (12.) 

14  (13.)  And  I  nnto  thee,  oh  Jehovah,  have  cried,  and  in  the. 
morning  shall  my  prayer  come  before  thee.  What  he  has  done  he 
is  still  resolved  to  do,  as  the  only  means  of  safety.  Hence  the 
alternation  of  the  preterite  and  future.  The  first  verb  means  to 
cry  for  help.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  42  (41.)  With  the  last 
clause  compare  Ps.  v.  4  (3.)  Ivii.  9  (8.)  lix.  17  (16.)  The  verb 
has  its  proper  sense  of  coming  before  one  or  into  his  presence 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  13.  xviii.  6  (5.)  xxi.  4  (3.) 

15.  (14.)  Why,  oh  Jehovah,  wilt  thou  reject  my  soul,  wilt  inxiu 
hide  thy  face  from  me  ?  The  first  verb  means  to  reject  with  ib- 
horreuce.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliii.  2  xliv.  10,  24  (9,  23.)  Ix. 
3,  12  (1,  10.)  Ixxiv.  1.  Ixxvii.  8  (7.)  The  question  implies  that 
such  rejection  would  be  inconsistent  with  God's  faithfulness,  and 
Fs  therefore  not  expressive  of  entire  despondence. 

16  (15.)  Wretched  (am)  J  and  expiring  from  childhood;  1 
have  borne  thy  terrors  ;  I  despair.  Expiring,  ready  to  perish,  at 
the  point  of  death,  a  strong  description  of  extreme  distress.  The 
chihlkood  may  be  that  of  the  individual  sufi'erer,  or  of  Israel  as  a 
uation  (ilos.  xi.  1.)     Both  applications  may  have  boen  intended. 


PSALM    LXXXIX  275 

17  (16.)  Over  me  have  ^passed,  thine  mdignations  ;  thy  terrors 
have  destroyed  me.  The  image  in  the  first  clause  is  the  same  as 
in  Ps.  xlii.  8  (7.)  Indignations.,  literally,  heats  or  inflammations. 
but  always  applied  to  anger.  The  plural  occurs  only  here.  The 
unusual  form  of  the  last  verb  is  supposed  by  some  to  have  been 
coined  by  the  writer,  for  the  sake  of  an  allusion  to  Lev.  xxv.  23. 

18  (17.)  They  have  surronnded  me  like  waters  all  the  day ,  they 
have  encompassed  me  at  once  (or  all  together.)  The  figure  of  over- 
whelming waves  is  still  continued.  The  subject  of  the  verbs  can 
only  be  the  indignations  and  the  terrors  of  v.  17  (16.j 

19  (18.)  Thou  hast  put  far  from  me  lover  and  friend  ;  my  ac- 
quaintances (are)  darkness  (or  a  dark  place.)  The  first  clause  is 
a  repetition  of  v.  9  (8.)  The  other  is  obscure,  and  is  supposed 
by  some  to  raean,  my  acquaintances  vanish,  disappear  in  dark- 
ness ;  by  others,  my  acquaintances  give  way  to  darkness,  are  suc- 
ceeded by  it ;  my  only  friend  is  now  the  dark  place,  i.  e.  the  grave 
or  death.  Thus  understood,  the  sentiment  is  not  unlike  that  in 
Job  xvii   14. 


PSALM     LXXXIX. 

1  Maschil.  By  Ethan  the  Ezrahite.  From  the  fact  that 
Ethan  and  Jeduthun  are  both  named  with  Asaph  and  Heman,  but 
never  named  together,  it  has  been  inferred  that  they  are  two  name'? 
of  the  same  person,  or  rather  that  Ethan  is  the  personal  name, 
and  Jeduthun  (derived  from  a  verb  which  means  to  praise)  tlio 
ofiicial  title.  Heman  and  Ethan  are  both  described  as  Ezrahites, 
j.  e.  adopted  sons  of  Zerah,  1  Chron.  ii.  5,  but  by  birth  were  nn 


276  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

doubt  both  Sons  of  Korah,  1  Cliron.  yi.  18,  22  (33,  37.)  T3  the 
lamentations  and  complaints  of  Hem  an  iu  the  first  part  of  this 
double  psalm  (Ps.  Ixxxviii)  is  now  added  an  appeal  to  the  divine 
promise  by  Ethan  in  the  psalm  before  us.  The  particular  promise 
here  insisted  on  is  that  in  2  Sam.  vii,  which  constitutes  the  basis 
of  all  the  Messianic  Psalms.  The  hypothesis  of  Hengstenbcrg 
and  others,  that  the  psalm  was  composed  in  the  interval  between 
the  death  of  Josiah  and  the  Babylonish  exile,  by  the  Korhites  of 
that  period,  who  merely  assumed  the  name  and  breathed  the 
spirit  of  their  great  progenitors,  could  be  justified  only  by  extreme 
exegetieal  necessity,  which  does  not  here  exist,  since  nothing  is 
more  natural  than  to  assume,  that  these  psalms  were  nearly  con- 
temporaneous with  the  promise  itself,  and  intended  to  anticipate 
misgivings  and  repinings,  which,  although  they  existed  even  then  in 
germ,  were  not  developed  till  the  period  of  decline  began,  or  ra- 
ther till  it  was  approaching  its  catastrophe.  By  far  the  larger 
part  of  this  psalm  is  occupied  in  amplifying  and  expounding  the 
great  Messianic  promise,  vs.  2 — 38  (1 — 37),  while  the  remainder, 
like  Ps.  Ixxxviii,  teaches  the  chosen  people  how  to  apply  it,  in 
their  times  of  suifering  and  despondency,  vs.  39 — 53  (38 — 52), 
a  feature  of  the  composition  which  fully  warrants  its  description 
in  the  title  as  a  masch'd  or  didactic  psalm. 

2(1.)  The  mercies  of  JehovoJi  forever  loiil  I  sing  ;  to  generation 
and  generation  will  I  make  knoion  thy  faithfulness  with  my  mouth. 
The  mercies  particularly  meant  are  the  favours  promised  to  David 
as  the  progenitor  and  type  of  the  Messiah.  The  faithfuhitss  men- 
-  tioued  in  the  other  clause  is  that  of  God  in  the  fulfilment  of  these 
promises.  Compare  my  note  on  Isai.  Iv.  3,  where  the  same  idea 
is  expressed  by  the  sure  mercies  of  David.  Forever^  literally 
eternity  jthe  noun  being  used  adverbially,  as  its  plural  is  in'Ps.  Ixi. 
5  (4.)  The  promise  of  perpetual  commemoration  shows  that  the 
Psalmist  speaks  not  only  for  himself  but  for  the  church  of  which 
Ve  is  the  mouth  or  spokesman. 


PSALM   LXXXIX  277 

3  (2.)  For  I  ham  sdid^  Forever  shall  mtrcy  he  buid  up.  The 
neavens — thou  wilt  fix  thy  faithfulness  in  them.  The  church  will 
celebrate  God's  mercy  and  faithfulness  forever,  because  they  will 
endure  forever.  I  have  said.,  i.  e.  this  is  the  view  of  the  matter 
T  have  taken  and  expressed  already.  The  scheme  of  God's  gra- 
cious dispensations  is  conceived  of  as  a  building,  already  founded 
and  hereafter  to  be  carried  up  to  its  completion.  The  emphatic 
construction  of  the  heavens  as  an  absolute  nominative  [as  to  tJit 
heavens.,  thou  uilt  fix  etc.)  is  inadequately  represented  in  the  com- 
mon version  (shalt  thou  establish  in  the  very  heavens.)  For  the 
proverbial  use  of  the  heavens  and  the  heavenly  bodies  as  a  stand- 
ard of  permanence  and  immutability,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  5. 
The  idea  here  is,  thou  shalt  make  thy  faithfulness  as  fixed  and 
stable  as  the  frame  of  nature. 

4  (3.)  I  have  ratified  a  covenant  with  my  chosen  {one)  ;  I  have 
sworn  unto  David  my  servant.  These  are  the  words  of  God  him- 
self, though  not  expressly  so  described,  as  in  v.  20  (19)  below. 
We  have  here  a  summary  statement  of  the  substance  of  the  pro- 
mise in  2  Sam.  vii,  upon  which  this  and  the  other  Messianic 
psalms  are  founded.  Ratified  a  coi-enant.,  see  above,  on  Ps.  1.  5. 
With  my  chosen.,  literally,  to  my  chosen.,  as  in  the  parallel  expres- 
sion, because  what  is  here  called  a  covenant  was  really  a  condi- 
tional promise  or  engagement  upon  God's  part.  My  servant.,  i.  e 
my  chosen  and  appointed  instrument  in  executing  my  designs. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  1,  and  compare  Ps.  Ixx^vi.  16. 

5  (4.)  Unto  eternity  will  I  confirm  thy  seed.,  and  build.,  to  gene- 
ration and  generation.,  thy  throne.  Selah.  Confirm  thy  seed, 
establish  thy  descendants  in  the  permanent  possession  of  the  royal 
dignity.  The  same  two  verbs  which,  in  the  foregoing  verse,  are 
applied  to  the  divine  grace  and  fidelity,  are  here  applied  directly 
to  their  objects,  the  throne  and  family  of  David. 

6  (5  )  And   the   heavens  ^acknowledge  thy   wonders,  Jehovah  , 


278  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

likewise  thy  faithfulness  (is  acknowledged)  in  the  assembly  of  kol^ 
(ones.)  The  promise  just  cited  is  entitled  to  men's  confidence, 
because  the  omnipotence  and  faithfulness  of  Him  who  uttered  it 
are  thankfully  acknoAvledged  by  superior  beings.  The  parallel- 
ism of  heavens  and  holy  ones  shows  that  the  former  are  here  put 
for  their  inhabitants.  For  the  true  meaning  of  the  first  verb,  see 
above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5),  and  for  that  of  the  following  noun,  on  Ps 
Ixxvii.  12  (11.)  Ixxxviii.  11  (10.)  Wo7iders  or  miracles  are 
here  referred  to,  as  proofs  of  a  mighty  power.  The  a7id^  also., 
at  the  beginning  of  the  clauses,  have  the  force  of  even,  yea,  in  our 
idiom.  The  word  translated  holy  ones  is  entirely  difibrent  from 
that  usually  rendered  saints.  The  latter  is  always  applied  to  men, 
the  former  usually  to  superior  beings,  i.  e.  angels.  See  Deut. 
xxxiii.  2,  3.  Dan.  viii.  13.  Zech.  xiv.  5.  Job.  iv.  18.  xv.  15. 

7.  (6.)  For  who,  in  the  sJ:y,  can  compare  to  Jehovah  ?  (Who)  is 
like  to  Jehovah  among  the  Sons  of  the  Mighty  ?  The  question  in- 
volves a  strong  negation,  or  an  affirmation  that  there  is  none  like 
him,  even  in  the  orders  of  existence  superior  to  man.  This  is 
given  as  a  reason  for  the  adoring  recognition  of  his  power  and 
veracity  in  v.  6  (5.)  The  word  translated  s/:y  is  elsewhere  used 
in  the  plural '  to  denote  the  clouds  collectively.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixviii.  35  (34.)  Ixxvii.  i8  (17.)  Ixxviii.  23.  The  singular 
form,  in  this  sense,  is  peculiar  to  the  psalm  before  us.  See  be- 
low, V.  38  (37.)  The  twofold  usage  of  the  English  verb  com.pare, 
as  active  and  neuter,  corresponds  exactly  to  that  of  the  original 
expression,  for  the  primary  and  proper  sense  of  which,  see  above 
on  Is.  V.  4  (3.)  xl.  6  (5.)  1.  21.  The  Sons  oj  the  Mighty  or 
Almighty  are  the  angels.  As  to  the  peculiar  form  of  the  de- 
MJiiption,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  l,from  which  it  seems  to  be  di' 
footly  borrowed  in  the  case  before  us. 

8  (7.)  A  God  to  he  dreaded  in  the  secret  council  of  (his)  holy 
(o/hs)  g  flatly,  and,  to  be  feared  above  ttll  [those)  about  him.     This 


PSALM    LXXXXl.  279 

IS  not  a  distinct  proposition,  but  a  further  description  of  the 
Being  pronounced  in  the  foregoing  verse  to  be  incomparable.  The 
divine  name  (b^)  here  used  implies  that  what  makes  him  so  terri- 
ble is  his  infinite  power.  The  angels  are  again  called  holy  G?ies, 
but  furthermore  described  as  the  privy  council,  the  confidential 
intimates,  of  God  himself.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  14.  Iv.  15  (14.) 
Ixxxiii.  4  (3.)  Yet  even  to  these,  as  being  endlessly  superior, 
he  is  and  ought  to  be  an  object  of  adoring  fear.  The  intensive 
adverb  greatly  is  the  same  with  that  in  Ps.  Ixii.  3,  and  like  it  ia 
placed  emphatically  at  the  end  of  the  clause.  Compare  Ps.  xlviii. 
2(1.)  Ixv.  10  (9.)  Above  may  either  mean  inore  than^  or  5i/, 
with  an  implication  of  his  vast  supeiiority  as  the  cause  or  reason. 
Those  about  him/i.  e.  those  immediately  surrounding  him,  his  hea- 
venly attendants,  the  angels.  See  the  same  expression,  in  a 
somewhat  diSerent  application,  Ps.  Ixxvi.  12  (11.) 

9  (8.)  Jehovah^  God  of  JlostSy  icho  (is)  like  thee,  mighty ^  Ja/ty 
and  thy  faithfulness  (is)  round  about  thee.  The  infinite  superi- 
ority of  God  to  men  and  angels  is  here  expressed,  or  rather  indi- 
cated, by  an  accumulation  of  descriptive  titles.  We  hare  here 
the  full  phrase,  Jehovah  God  of  Hosts^  which  occurs  so  frequently 
in  an  abreviated  form.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  10.  The  word 
translated  mighty  is  used  only  here  ;  but  its  sense  is  clear  from  the 
analogy  of  cognate  forms,  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  the  an- 
cient versions.  As  to  JizA,  the  pregnant  abbreviation  or  concen- 
tration of  Jehovah^  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  5  (4.)  It  may  here 
be  in  apposition  either  with  Jehovah^  as  a  vocative,  or  with  Jah^ 
as  a  descriptive  title.  '  Who  is  like  thee,  a  mighty  one,  oh  Jah  }"* 
Or,  '  who  like  thee  is  mighty,  who  like  thee  is  Jah  .''  Faithful- 
iKss.,  as  elsewhere,  is  veracity  or  truth  in  the  fulfilment  of  a  pro- 
mise. The  word  translated  round  about  is  the  feminine  or  neuter 
form  of  that  used  in  the  preceding  verse,  and  there  applied  to  per- 
sons. The  meaning  of  the  whole  clause  is  that  God's  fidelity  is 
Dover  absent  from  him  but  appears  wherever  he  does,  the  proofs 


280  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

of  its  existence  being  visible  on  all  hands.  The  English  Bible 
supplies  a  preposition  and  assumes  a  second  question,  '  who  is  like 
thy  faithfulness  round  about  thee  ?'  But  the  other  construction, 
which  is  that  adopted  in  the  ancient  versions,  is  much  simpler 
and  more  natural,  the  ellipsis  of  the  preposition  in  such  cases  being 
rare,  whereas  that  of  the  substantive  verb  is  the  general  rule  of 
Hebrew  syntax,  to  which  its  insertion  is  a  lyere  exception. 

10  (9.)  Thou  rnkst  the  swell -of  the  sea  ;  in  .he  rise  of  its  waves 
thou  stillest  them.  The  general  declaration  of  God's  power  is  now 
rendered  more  distinct  by  specifying  one  of  the  most  striking 
forms  in  which  it  manifests  itself.  At  the  same  time,  there  is  no 
doubt  an  allusion  to  the  scriptural  usage  of  the  sea  as  an  emblem 
of  the  world  and  its  conflicting  powers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi. 
3,  4  (2,  3.)  Ixv.  8  (7.)  The  appropi  lateness  of  the  words  both 
to  physical  and  moral  changes  affords  an  easy  and  beautiful  transi- 
tion to  the  latter  in  the  next  verse.  The  verbal  form  at  the  be- 
ginning is  a  participle,  thou  [art)  ruling^  i.  e.  habitually,  con- 
stantly. The  connective  particle  may  be  retained  by  rendering 
it  rulest  over.  The  first  noun  is  applied  elsewhere  (Ps.  xvii.  10) 
.  to  the  swelling  or  elation  of  the  heart  with  pride  ;  but  that  this  is 
only  a  derived  and  secondary  meaning  may  be  gathered  from  the 
use  of  the  same  word  to  denote  the  loftiness  or  majesty  of  God 
(Ps.  xciii.  ]),  and  also  from  the  application  of  the  verbal  root  to 
the  rise  of  water  in  an  inundation  (Ez.  xlvii.  5.)  The  parallel 
term  is  an  abbreviated  infinitive  used  as  a  noun,  and  therefore 
well  represented  by  the  English  rise^  which  is  also  both  noun  and 
verb. 

n  (10.)  Thou  didst  crush,  Wx-e  the  slain ^  Rahah  ;  with  thine 
arm  of  strength  thou  didst  scatter  thy  foes:  This  relates  wholly 
to  the  sea  of  nations,  in  which  Egypt  stands  first,  as  the  earliest 
national  enemy  of  Israel,  and  also  perhaps  because  the  power  of 
Pharaoh,  at  the  exodus,  was  literally  broken  in  the   sea.     The 


PSALM    LXXXIX  281 

first  verb  means  to  shatter,  crush,  or  break  in  pieces.  See  above^ 
Ps.  Ixxii  4.  The  pronoun  is  emphatic  ;  (it  was)  thoib  (and  none 
other  thai)  didst  crush.,  etc.  The  significant  name  Rahah.^  mean- 
ing pride  or  insolence,  corresponds  to  the  swelling  of  the  sea,  in 
the  foregoing  verse.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  4.  Like  the 
slain,  like  one  mortally  wounded,  especially  in  battle.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  6  (5.)  The  point  of  comparison  is  the 
sudden  change  from  overbearing  arrogance  to  helplessness  and 
weakness.  Thine  arm  of  strength,  or  strong  arm,  the  active  ex- 
ertion of  thy  power.  See  above,  on  Ps.  x.  15.  xxxvii.  17.  xliv. 
4  (3.)  Ixxxiii.  9  (8.)  The  last  verb  belongs  to  the  dialect  of 
poetry,  and  occurs  above,  in  Ps.  liii.  6  (5.)  See  below,  Ps.  cxii. 
9.  cxli.  7.  This  verse  relates  only  indirectly  to  the  enemies  of 
God  in  general.  Even  the  last  clause  has  specific  reference  to 
the  enemies  who  perished  in  the  Red  Sea. 

12  (11.)  To  thee  (belongs)  heaven,  also  to  thee  earth,  theivorld 
and  its  fulness,  thou  didst  found  them.  The  power  of  God  is  now 
described  as  universal  and  creative.  Heaven  and  earth  is  the 
usual  comprehensive  phrase  for  the  whole  frame  of  nature  or 
material  universe.  The  last  clause  is  evidently  borrowed  from 
Ps.  xxiv.  1.  Its  fulness,  that  which  occupies  and  fills  it,  its  con- 
tents and  its  inhabitants.  The  verb  to  found  suggests  the  two 
ideas  of  creation  and  sustcntation.  He  not  only  called  them  into 
being,  but  made  them  permanent  or  lasting.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  69,  and  below,  on  Ps.  civ.  5.  The  ivorld,  the  cultivated 
and  productive  earth,  as  opposed  to  the  desolate  and  barren  sea. 
The  English  Bible,  following  the  masoretic  accents,  construes 
tht  world  and  its  fulness  as  absolute  nominatives.  A  simpler  con- 
struction is  to  put  them  in  apposition  with  heaven  and  earth,  and 
refer  the  pronoun  at.  the  CLd  to  all  these  antecedents. 

13  (12.)  North  and  south,  thou  didst  create  them  ;  Tahor  and 
Ilermon  in  thy  name  rejoice.     The  pronoun  at  the  end  of  the  first 


282  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

clause  is  superfluous  in  English ;  the  original  construction  re- 
pires  north  and  south  to  be  taken  absolutely,  (as  for)  the  north 
and  soitthj  thou  hast  created  them.  The  word  for  north  originally 
means  concealment ;  that  for  south  the  right  hand.  The  east 
and  west  are  represented  by  two  mountains  on  either  side  of 
Jordan.  As  to  Hermon,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xlii.  7  (6.)  The 
points  of  the  compass  are  here  put,  like  heaven  and  earth  in  the 
preceding  context,  for  the  whole  world,  and  described  as  rejoicing 
in  God's  name,  i.  e.  praising  his  perfections  by  their  very  exist- 
ence. 

14  (13.)  To  fhee  {is)  an  arm  with  strength  ;  strong  is  thy  hand^ 
high  is  thy  right  hand.  This  is  simply  another  declaration  of  the 
divine  omnipotence,  under  the  usual  emblems,  arm,  hand,  and 
right-hand.     See  above,  on  v.  11  (10.) 

15  (14.)  Justice  and  judgment  (are)  the  'place  of  thy  throm, ; 
mercy  and  truth  shall  go  before  thy  face.  The  word  translated 
^lace  may  also  have  the  more  specific  sense  of  dwelling-place. 
The  meaning  is  that  God  reigns  in  the  midst  of  perfect  righteous- 
ness. See  above,  on  v.  9  (S.)  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  al- 
ways means  to  go  or  come  before.,  sometimes  in  the  sense  of  com- 
ing into  one's  presence,  sometimes  in  that  of  meeting  or  encoun- 
tering, sometimes  (as  here)  in  that  of  being  a  forerunner.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxv.  14  (13.) 

16  (15.)  Happy  the  people  knowing  joyful  noise  ;  Jehovah,,  in 
.the  light  of  thy  face   they  shall  walk.      The  unusual  expression  in 

the  fiist  clause  seems  to  mean  those  who  know  how  and  have 
occa.sion  to  rejoice  in  the  experience  of  God's  favour.  The  last 
noun  in  Hebrew  denotes  any  loud  expression  of  exultation,  either 
by  voice  or  instrument.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  6.  The  light 
of  God's  face  is  the  cheering  expression  of  his  countenance  as 
indicating  favour   or    benignity.      See  above,   on    Ps.  iv.  7  (t3,) 


PSALM    LXXXIX.  283 

xliii.  3  xliv.  4  (3.)  To  walk  in  this  light  is  to  live  in  the  ha- 
bitual enjoyment  of  it.  This  last  clause  gives  the  reason  for  their 
being  pronounced  happy  in  the  first. 

17  (16.)  Li  thy  name  they  shall  rejoice  all  the  day^  and  in  th-^ 
righteousness  shall  he  exalted.  Jn  thy  name,  in  the  display  of  thy 
perfections.  In  thy  righteousness,  i.  e.  in  the  exercise  of  that 
essential  rectitude  which  secures  the  performance  of  God's  promise 
and  thereby  the  salvation  of  his  people. 

18  (17.)  For  the  beauty  of  their  strength  (art)  thou  and  in  thy 
favour  thou  wilt  lift  our  horn.  God  is  at  once  their  mighty 
ornament  and  their  glorious  protection.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  61.  In  thy  favour.,  at  the  time,  and  by  the  means,  of  thy 
experienced  fiivour.  Lift  our  horn.,  enable  us  to  triumph  in  se^ 
curity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxv.  11  (10),  and  below,  on  Ps. 
xcii.  11  (10.) 

19  (18.)  For  unto  Jehovah  (belongs)  our  shield.,  and  to  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel  our  king.  Our  protectors  are  themselves 
protected  by  Jehovah,  This  construction  is  much  simpler  and 
more  natural  than  that  adopted  in  the  English  versions,  which 
entirely  overlooks  the  preposition  in  both  clauses,  or  arbitrarily 
regards  it  as  a  sign  of  the  nominative  case.  A  better  construc- 
tion, although  not  precisely  the  true  sense,  is  given  in  the  mar- 
gin of  the  English  Bible. 

20  (19.)  Then  thou  spakest  in  vision  to  thy  gracious  one  and 
midst.,  I  Iiave  laid  help  on  a  Mighty  (Man)  ;  I  have  raised 
one  chosen  from  (among)  the  people.  The  Psalmist  here  returns 
to  the  vocation  by  David  and  the  promise  made  to  him.  See 
2  Sam.  vii.  17  (compare  1  Chron.  xvii.  9*),  where  the  divine 
sommunication  made  through  Nathan  to  David  is  called  sl  vision. 
Thy  saint  or  gracious  one  may  signify  eitlier  of  these  persons. 


284  PSALM    LXXXIX 

The  ancient  versions,  followed  bj  the  Prayer  Book  and  so">* 
eminent  interpreters,  have  the  plural  form  instead  of  the  singular, 
thy  saints^  meaning  Isi-ael  at  large,  to  whom  the  promise  was  truly 
addressed-.  See  2  Sam.  vii.  10.  1  Chr.  xvii.  9.  To  lay  heljp  upon 
one  is  to  impart  it  to  him,  with  a  strong  implication  of  descent 
from  above.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi.  6  (5.)  The  gift  in  this 
case  was  not  merely  for  himself,  but  for  others  through  hi? 
agency.  God  helped  him  to  help  the  people.  Chosen  has  here 
its  strict  sense,  but  not  without  allusion  to  its  specific  use  as  sig- 
nifying a  young  warrior.      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  31,  63. 

21  (20.)  /  have  found  David  my  servant ;  ivith  my  holy  oil 
have  I  anointed  him.  This  verse  removes  all  doubt  as  to  the  per- 
son primarily  intended  in  the  foregoing  verse,  but  without  ex- 
cluding his  successors,  and  especially  the  last  and  greatest  of 
them,  to  whom  the  royal  dignity  was  given  in  the  unction  of 
David.  See  1  Sam.  xvi.  13.  This  act  denoted  not  only  con- 
secration to  the  divine  service,  but  the  spiritual  gifts  required  in 
order  to  its  right  performance.      See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  2. 

22  (21.)  With  whom  my  hand  shall  he  ever  present;  also  viij 
arm  shall  strengthen  him.  Ever  present,  literally,  established, 
permanently  fixed.  See  below,  v.  38  (37),  and  above,  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  37.  The  hand  and  arm,  as  usual,  are  emblems  of 
strength.     See  above,  on  vs.  11, 14  (10,  13.) 

23  (22.)  The  enemy  shall  not  vex  him,  and  the  son  of  iniquity 
thall  not  arfflict  him.  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  means  specifi- 
cally to  annoy  or  persecute  as  a  creditor  his  debtor.  The  second 
clause  is  copied,  almost  word  fur  word,  from  2  Sam.  vii.  10.  Com- 
|mre  1  Chr.  xvii.  9. 

24  (23.)  And  I  will    crush  before  him  his  foes^  and  his  haters  1 


PSALM     LXXXfX.  285 

will  smite.     The  last  verb  is  especially  applied  to  strokes  inflict- 
ed by  the  hand  of  God. 

25  (24.)  And  my  faithfulness  and  my  mercy  (shall  be)  with 
him,  and  in  my  imme  shall  his  horn  he  high.  See  above,  on  vs. 
17,  18  (16,  17.)  Faithfulness  and  mercy  are  combined,  as  in 
Ps.  Ixxxviii.  12  (11.) 

26  (25.)  And  I  will  set  in  the  sea  his  hand.,  and  in  the  foods 
his  right  hand.  I  will  cause  him  to  lay  hands  upon  them,  and 
exercise  authority  over  them,  as  his  own  possession  and  domain. 
Hand  and  right  hand.,  as  in  v.  14  (13.)  Sea  and  foods.,  streams, 
or  rivers,  as  in  Ps.  xxiv.  2.  The  watery  parts  of  the  earth  are 
here  put  for  the  whole.     Compare  1  Chr.  xiv.  17. 

27  (26.)  He  shall  call  me  (or  cry  unto  me),  Thou  art  my 
Father,  my  God,  and  the  rock  X)f  my  salvation.  The  emphatic 
pronouns  in  the  original  bring  out  more  clearly  the  mutual  rela- 
tion and  reciprocal  action  of  the  parties.  With  the  fii-st  clauso 
compare  2  Sam.  vii.  14.  1  Chr.  xxii.  10.  Job  xvii.  14.  With  the 
second  compare  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  xxxi.  3  (2.)  The  rock  of  my 
salvation,  the  rock  that  saves  me,  the  hiding-place  and  strong- 
hold where  rjy  safety  lies. 

2S  (27.)  Also  I  (as  my)  first-lorn  will  give  him,  higher  than 
kings  of  the  earth.  He  shall  be  treated  not  only  as  the  son  but 
as  the  eldest  son  of  God  himself.  The  same  description  is  ap- 
plied elsewhere  to  Israel  (Ex.  iv.  22),  to  Ephraim  (Jer.  xxxi.  9), 
and  to  Christ  (Heb.  i.  6.)  The  last  clause  is  borrowed,  both  in 
foi-m  and  substance,  from  Deut.  xxviii.  1  (compare  xxix.  16)  ; 
but  instead  of  high  above,  we  have  here  high  as  to,  in  reference 
to  (or  in  comparison  with)  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

29  (28.)  Fora-er  will  I  keep  for  him  my  m.crcy^  and  my  cove' 


♦86  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

nant  is  sure  to  him.  Forever,  literally,  to  eternity.  Keep,  i.  o 
keep  it  in  reserve  for  him.  My  covenant,  or  conditional  promise. 
See  above,  on  v.  4  (3.)  Sure,  or  more  exactly,  made  sure,  rati- 
fied, confirmed.     Compare  Isai.  Iv.  3. 


30  (29.)  And  I  ivill  establish  forever  his  seed,  and.  his  throne  ai 
the  days  of  heaven.  See  2  Sam.  vii.  12.  The  promise  is  now 
extended  from  David  to  his  posterity.  Establish,  literally,  set  or 
place.  The  pronoun  in  the  second  clause  may  refer  either  to 
David  or  his  seed.  In  the  latter  case,  it  might  be  rendered  its  or 
their  throne.  The  question,  however,  is  purely  grammatical,  since 
the  throne  of  David  and  the  throne  of  his  descendants  are  identi- 
cal. In  the  last  clause  the  idea  of  duration  is  again  expressed  by 
a  reference  to  the  stability  of  nature.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii 
5,  7,  17,  and  compare  Deut.  xi.  21. 

31 — 33  (30 — 32.)  If  his  sons  forsake  my  law,  and  in  my  judg 
ments  will  not  walk ;  if  m,ij  statutes  they  profane,  and  my  com- 
mandments unll  not  keep  ;  then  will  I  visit  with  a  rod  their  trans- 
gression, and  with  stripes  their  guilt.  The  promise  of  perpetual 
favour  to  the  house  of  David  was  not  intended  to  ensure  impunity 
to  its  unfaithful  members.  To  profane  God's  statutes  is  to  deny 
in  theory  or  practice,  their  sacred  obligation  and  divine  authority 
The  and  at  the  commencement  of  the  last  verse  is  equivalent  to 
then  in  English  after  a  conditional  clause.  The  whole  passage 
is  an  amplification  of  2  Sam.  vii.  14. 

34  (33.)  And  my  mercy  Iivill  not  withdraw  from  him,  and  will 
not  prove  false  (or  deal  falsely)  in  my  faith.  Our  idiom  requires 
a  but  to  render  clear  the  relation  of  this  sentence  to  the  foregoing 
context.  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  means  to  break  or  violate, 
but  construed,  as  it  here  is,  with  the  preposition  from,  suggests 
the  idea  of  breaking  an  engagement  by  withdrawing  what  was 
stipulated  to  be   given    and  secured.     Faith  in  the  last  clause 


PSALM  LXXXIX.  og7 

means  fidelity  or  truth,  as  in  the  phrases,  good  faith^  keep  faith\ 
etc.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  18  (17.)  The  promise  in  this  verse 
is  not  to  them  but  him^  not  to  the  sinning  individuals  mentioned  just 
before,  but  to  the  family  or  race  as  such,  to  David  as  still  living 
in  his  natural  descendants.  Compare  1  Kings  xi.  36.  2  Kin^-a 
viii.  19.  2  Chr.  vi.  42.  Isai.  xxxvii.  35. 

35  (34.)  I  will  not  jprofane  my  covenant^  and  the  utterance  of  m 
my  lips  I  will  not  change.  In  the  first  clause  there  is  obvious  al- 
lusion to  V.  32  (31.)  What  God  requires  of  them  he  renders  to 
them.  The  engagement  is  reciprocal.  As  they  are  not  to  pro- 
fane his  covenant  by  breaking  it,  neither  will  He.  The  obliga- 
tion is  a  sacred  one  on  both  sides.  See  below,  on  the  next 
verse,  and  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  21  (20.)  The  utterance,  or  outgoing 
of  the  lips  is  a  technical  expression  of  the  Law,  in  reference  to  oral 
vows  and  other  engagements.  See  Num.  xxx.  13  (12.)  Deut 
xxiii.  24  (23.)  It  is  a  stronger  expression  than  that  which  I  have, 
said  or  promised^  although  this  is  really  the  meaning  here.  I  will 
not  change,  evade  the  execution  of  my  promise  by  altering  its 
terms  or  its  conditions.  Compare  the  form  of  expression  in  Ps 
XV.  4. 

36  (35.)  07ie  {thing)  have  I  sworn  in  my  holiness^  I  will  noz 
He  unto  David.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  not  an  adverb  of  time 
(uTio^,  semcl.)  once),  but  a  numeral  adjective  in  the  feminine  form, 
used  as  the  neuter  is  in  Greek  and  Latin.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxvii.  4.  '  Whatever  else  may  fail,  there  is  one  thing  that  cannot, 
for  I  have  sworn  that  it  shall  come  to  pass.'  In  my  holiness^  as  a 
Iioly  God,  including  all  divine  perfection,  but  with  special  reference 
to  moral  rectitude.  Sre  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  8  (6.)  The  last  verb 
might  be  rendered,  T  cannot  lie.  See  Num.  xxiii.  19.  1  Sam.  xv. 
29,  and  compare  Heb.  vi.  18.  vii.  20,  21.  The  form  of  the  ori- 
ginal  is  highly  idiomatic,  if  I  lie  unto  David.  Compare  the  He 
bre\y  of  1  Sam.  xxiv.  7  (6.)  2  Sam.  iii.  35. 


298  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

•  37  (S6.)  His  seed  to  eternity  shall  he ,  and  his  throne  fls  the  sun 
he/ore  me.  See  above,  on  v.  30  (29),  and  compare  Ps.  xlv.  7 
(6.)  Shall  he,  shall  continue  to  exist.  Or  the  whole  phrase  may 
mean,  shall  be  ete?'nal.  As  the  sun,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  5, 
17.     Before  me,  in  my  sight  and  under  my  protection. 

38  (37.)  As  the  moon  is  fixed  eternally,  and  the  witness  in  the 
^iy  is  sure.  The  verse,  thus  translated,  does  not  repeat  the  pro- 
mise in  the  one  before  it,  but  merely  confirms  it  by  a  further 
reference  to  the  course  of  nature,  as  the  customary  standard  of 
duration.  It  is  equally  grammatical,  however,  to  translate,  as  the 
moo7i  it  (the  throne)  shall  he  fixed  forever,  and  (as)  the  witness  in 
heaven  is  sure.  In  either  case  the  witness  is  the  moon.  See 
above,  on  v.  7  (6),  29  (28),  and  compare  Ps.  Ixxii.  5. 

39  (38.)  And  (yet)  thou  hast  cast  off  and  rejected  ;  thou  art 
wroth  with  thine  Anointed.  Having  fully  recited  and  expounded 
the  great  promise  to  the  house  of  David,  the  psalm  now  contrasts 
it  with  the  present  reality,  and  seems  to  complain  that  it  had  not 
been  verified.  For  a  similar  transition,  see  above,  Ps.  xliv.  10  (9.) 
There  is  no  need  of  confining  this  description  to  the  last  days  of 
the  kingdom  of  Judah,  or  to  any  other  period  of  its  history  exclu- 
sively. If  the  psalm  was  really  composed  by  Ethan,  as  we  have 
no  sufficient  ground  for  doubting  that  it  was,  he  may  have  design- 
edly so  framed  it  as  to  suit  any  season  of  distress  and  danger,  in 
which  the  theocratic  sovereign  seemed  to  be  forsaken  of  Jehovah. 
Both  verbs  in  the  first  clause  signify  abhorrent  and  contemptuous 
rejection.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xv.  4.  xliii.  2.  xliv.  10  (9.)  Ixxviii. 
59,  67.  Ixxxviii.  15  (14.) 

40  (39.)  Thou  hast  hroken  the  covenant  of  thy  servant ;  thou  hast 
•profaned  to  the  earth  his  crown.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  occurs 
only  here  and  Lam.  ii.  7.  The  usual  explanation  is  conjectural, 
or  founded  on  the   ancient  versions.     A  connate  verb  in  Arabic 


PSALM    LXXXiX.  289 

means  to  abhor ^  which  would  be  appropriate  in  this  place.  TJit 
covenant  of  thy  servant^  i.  e,  thj  covenant  with  thy  servant.  See 
above,  on  vs.  29,  35  (28,  34.)  The  pregnant  construction,  pro- 
fanpd  to  the  ground^  i.  e.  profaned  by  casting  to  the  ground,  oecui'S 
above,  Ps.  Ixxiv.  7.  The  theocratical  crown  was  a  sacred  or  reli- 
gious dignity,  any  contempt  of  which  might  therefore  well  be 
called  a  profanation.  Compare  what  is  said  of  the  priestly  diadem, 
Ex.  xxviii.  36.  xxix.  6.  • 

41  (40.)  Thou  hast  Iroken  down  all  his  walls  ;  thou  hast  made 
his  defences  a  ruin.  As  the  word  translated  walls  is  commonly 
used  to  denote  the  enclosures  of  vineyards,  whether  walls  or 
hedges,  this  may  be  the  figure  here  intended,  which  is  then  ex- 
changed, in  the  last  clause,  foi-  that  of  a  walled  town,  with  its 
defences  or  defensive  works,  its  fortifications.  See  above,  on  Ps 
Ixxx.  13  (12.)  Some  interpreters  allege  that  the  last  word  al- 
ways has  the  sense  of  terror ;  but  it  may  be  doubted  whether  it 
ever  has,  whereas  that  of  ruin  often  occurs,  particularly  in  the 
Book  of  Proverbs. 

42  (41.)  All  spoil  him  that  pass  by  the  way  ;  he  has  become  a 
contempt  to  his  neighbours.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps 
Ixxx.  13  (12)  ;  with  the  last,  Ps.  Ixxx.  7  (6.)  These  resem- 
blances prove  nothing  as  to  the  relative  antiquity  of  the  two 
psalms,  or  the  date  of  either.  The  figure  is  more  fully  carried 
out  in  Ps.  Ixxx,  but  this  no  more  proves  that  to  be  the  original 
than  it  proves  it  to  be  the  copy.  If  any  such  conclusion  were 
legitimate,  it  would  be  easier  to  account  for  the  amplification  of 
the  hint  here  thrown  out  by  a  later  writer,  than  for  the  omission, 
in  the  case  before  us,  of  so  many  fine  strokes  in  that  admirable 
apologue.  A  contempt,  an  object  of  supercilious  pity  and  disdain- 
ful wonder. 

43  (42.)  Thou  hast  lifted  the  right  hand  of  his  foes,  hiist  caused 

VOL.    II.  13 


290  PSALM    LXXXIX. 

to  iriwKpk  all  his  enemies.  As  the  hand,  and  especially  the  right 
hand,  is  the  symbol  of  exerted  strength,  and  a  high  hand  that  cf 
triumphant  superiority,  especially  in  war,  so  to  raise  the  right 
hand  in  the  first  clause  of  the  verse  before  us,  really  meaos  no- 
thing more  than  the  literal  expression  {caused  to  trium'ph)  in  the 
other.  This  seemed  to  be  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  promise 
in  vs   23,  24  (^22,  23),  as  well  as  to  the  prayer  in  Ps.  xxv.  2. 

44  (43.)  Also  thou  turncst  the  edge  of  his  sword,  and  dost  not 
allow  him  to  stand  in  the  battle.  The  particle  (tjbi)  at  the  begin- 
ning indicates  a  climax.  Not  only  was  his  enemy  superior,  but 
himself  delinquent  and  disgraced.  Edge,  literally  rock,  of  hit, 
sword.  The  idea  suggested  may  be  that  of  hardness,  as  a  hard 
edge  is  essential  to  a  serviceable  weapon.  See  my  note  on  Isai. 
xxvii.  1.  Some  interpreters,  however,  think  it  best  to  adhere  to 
the  ordinary  usage  of  rock  in  Hebrew  as  an  emblem  of  strength, 
and  to  understand  the  whole  phrase  as  meaning  the  strength  of 
kis  sivord,  either  in  the  strict  sense  or  in  that  of  strong  sword, 
both  of  which  are  here  appropriate.  See  above,  on  v.  27  (26.) 
The  construction  in  the  last  clause  is  ambiguous,  as  the  pronoun 
may  refer  to  sword  or  rock,  no  less  grammatically  than  to  its  pos- 
sessor. The  general  sense  remains  the  same,  however,  as  in  the 
similar  case  above,  v.  30  (29.) 

45  (44.)  Thou  hast  made  [him)  to  cease  from  his  brightness,  ana 
kis  throne  to  the  earth  cast  down.  Brightness  is  in  various  lan- 
guages a  figure  for  distinction,  eminence,  celebrity,  or  glory. 
Conapare  with  the  last  clause  what  is  said  of  the  crown  in  v.  40 
(39),  and  of  the  throne  itself  in  v.  5  (4.) 

46  (45.)  Tho2i  hast  shortemd  the  days  of  his  youth;  thou  hast 
covered  him  with  shame.  Selah.  His  youth,  his  youthful  energy 
and  vigour.  See  Job  xxxiii.  25.  Thou  hast  made  him  an  ob- 
ject of  contempt  by  cutting  short  his  vigorous  career  and  rendering 


PSALM    LXXXIX.  291 

him  prematurely  old.  This  might  be  said  of  certam  individual 
kings,  as  well  as  of  the  kingdom  when  approaching  its  catastrophe. 
Covered  him  with  shame^  literally,  covered  shame  upon  him^  i.  e 
heaped  it  on  him  so  as  to  cover  him. 

47  (46.)  How  long,  Jehovah,  wUt  thou  hide  thyself  forever'. 
(How  long)  shall  burn,  like  fire,  thy  wrath  1  On  the  doubtful 
construction  of  the  first  clause,  and  the  meaning  of  the  combina^ 
tion,  how  long  forever,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  2  (1.)  Ixxix.  5.  How 
long,  literally,  until  what,  i.  e.  until  what  point  (how  far),  or 
until  what  time  (hoio  long)  ? 

48  (47.)  Rememler  what  duration  I  have  ;  why  {for)  nought 
hast  thou  created  all  the  sons  of  Man  (or  Adam)  ?  The  construc- 
tion in  the  first  clause  is  obscure  and  broken,  as  if  it  consisted  of 
incoherent  exclamations.  Oh  remember — I— what — duration. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  last  word,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  14. 
xxxix.  6  (5),  and  with  the  whole  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  39. 
cxix  84.  Job  vii.  6.  xiv.  1.  The  last  clause  is  to  be  hypotheti- 
cally  understood.  '  Why  hast  thou  made  all  men  in  vain,  as  must 
be  the  case  if  their  short  life  is  entirely  filled  with  sufiering  }"> 
Or,  '  why  dost  thou  give  colour  and  occasion  to  the  charge  of 
having  made  men  to  no  purpose  .=='  Pf7i7/,  literally,  on  what 
(account),  or  for  ichat  (reason)  .?  The  next  word  in  Hebrew 
(j^rr)  is  a  noun  meaning  vanity,  nonentity,  or  nothing,  here  and 
in  Ps.  cxxvii.  1,  2,  used  adverbially  in  the  sense  of  vainly,  to  no 
purpose,  or  for  nought. 

49  (48.)  What  man  shall  live  and  not  see  death  (but)  rescut 
his  sold  from  the  hand  of  Sheol  ?  Selah.  An  indirect  assertion 
of  the  melancholy  fact  that  all  must  die,  rendered  still  more 
pointed  by  the  use  of  a  word  for  ma7i  implying  strength.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  5  (4.)  As  if  he  had  said,  what  man.  is 
go  atrong  ab  to  live  forever  and  escape   the  common  destiny  of 


^92  PSALM   LXXXIX. 

mortals  r  This  allusion  cannot  be  preserved  in  any  mere  trans- 
lation. Rescue,  literally,  cause  to  escape.  His  soul,  considered 
as  his  life  or  vital  principle.  Hand  may  be  here,  as  often  else- 
where, a  figure  for  power  ;  or  it  may  have  its  proper  sense  and 
denote  the  hand  of  Sheol,  the  Grave,  Mortality  or  Death,  as  an 
ideal  person.  The  Selah  has  the  same  force  as  in  Ps.  xxxix. 
6,  12  (5,  11.) 

50  (49.)  Where  are  thy  former  mercies,  Lord,  tho^i  didst  swear 
unto  David  in  thy  truth  (or  faithfulness.)  The  first  or  former 
mercies  of  the  Lord  are  those  which  he  promised  of  old,  espe- 
cially to  David,  as  expressly  mentioned  in  the  other  clause.  See 
above,  on  vs.  4,  36  (3,  35.)  The  inquiry  where  they  are  impliea 
that  they  have  vanished,  or  that  the  fulfilment  has  not  become 
visible.  The  last  clause  may  be  closely  united  with  the  first  by 
supplying  a  relative  between  them,  as  in  the  common  version, 
which  thou  swarest  unto  David.  A  simpler  and  more  emphatic 
syntax  is  to  make  it  a  distinct  proposition  :  thou  didst  swear  unto 
David,  and  thy  oath  cannot  be  broken.  See  above,  on  v.  36  (35.) 
This  last  idea  is  involved  in  the  concluding  words,  m  thy  veracity 
or  faithfulness.  What  God,  as  a  God  of  truth,  has  sworn,  not 
only  will  but  must  be  executed. 

51  (50.)  Remember,  Lord,  the  reproach  of  thy  servants,  my  hear^ 
ing  in  my  bosom,  oH  the  many  nations.  The  form  of  address  is 
the  same  as  in  v.  48  (47.)  The  reproach  of  thy  servants,  the 
contempt  and  disgrace  to  which  they  are  subjected.  Thy  ser^ 
vnnts,  of  whom  I  am  one.  Or  the  sudden  transition  to  the  first 
person  singular  may  show  that  the  petitioner,  in  this  whole  con- 
text, is  not  an  individual  believer,  but  the  Church  at  large.  Li 
my  bosom  may  denote  good  measure  or  abundance.  S^e  above, 
on  Ps.  Ixxix.  12.  Or  bearing  in  my  bosom  may  mean  feeliiig  in 
my  heart,  i.  e.  intensely,  exquisitely,  in  which  case  nations  must 
be  put  for  the  contempt  of  nations.     More  probable  than  eithei 


PSALM    LXXXIX.  293 

IS  the  figure  of  o;estatioii,  according  to  which  Zion,  although  no'W 
despised  or  hated  by  the  nations,  is  one  day  to  be  their  spiritual 
mother  or  their  spiritual  birth-place.  See  above  on  Ps.  Ixxxvii. 
4,  6.  The  Hebrew  adjective(tD-a^)  may  mean  either  great  ox 
maTiy ;  but  the  latter  sense  is  more  agreeable  to  usage  and 
the  collocation  of  the  words  in  this  case.  The  idiomatic  phrase, 
all  many  iiatioiu^  is  equivalent  to  saying,  all  the  nations  who  are 
many  in  number.  The  word  all  might  be  used,  however  small  the 
number  of  the  nations.  To  express  the  whole  idea,  therefore, 
both  words  were  required. 

52  (51.)  Wherewith  thine  enemies  have  reproached^  Jehovah 
wherewith  they  have  reproached  the  footsteps  of  thine  Anointed 
The  connection  indicated  by  the  relative  at  the  beginning  is  b} 
no  means  clear.  The  comm.on  version,  above  given,  makes  re 
froach  in  v.  51  (50)  the  antecedent.  Some  interpreters  connect 
the  relative  with  the  verb  at  the  beginning  of  that  verse,  and  give 
it  the  force  of  a  conjunction,  '  remember  that  (or  how)  thine 
enemies  have  reproached.'  Its  proper  meaning  as  a  relative  pro- 
noun may  be  retained  by  referring  it  to  different  antecedents " 
^  (I)  whom  thine  enemies  have  reproached,  (thine  enemies)  wh  i"« 
have  reproached  the  steps  of  thine  Anointed.'  This  last  expre^- 
sion  seems  to  mean  that  they  had  tracked  or  followed  him,  where- 
ever  he  went,  with  calumny  and  insult. 

53  (52.)  Blessed  {he)  Jehovah  to  eternity.  Amen  and  Amen 
This  is  commonly  regarded  as  no  part  of  the  psalm,  but  a  doxology 
markino-  the  conclusion  of  the  third  book.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xli 
14  (13.)  Ixxii.  18 — 20,  and  compare  the  Preface,  vol.  1,  p.  xi 


204  PSALM  XC. 


PSALM     X  C. 

The  Fourth  Book,  according  to  the  ancieut  traditional  division 
of  the  Psalter,  opens  with  the  oldest  psalm  in  the  collection.  Or 
rather  the  author  of  the  present  arrangement,  who  was  probably 
no  other  than  Ezra,  placed  this  sublime  composition  by  itself,  be- 
tween the  two  great  divisions  of  the  book,  containing  respectively 
the  Earlier  and  Later  Psalms.  See  the  Preface,  vol.  i,  p.  xiii. 
It  may  therefore  be  regarded  as  the  heart  or  centre  of  the  whole 
collection,  and  indeed  as  the  model  upon,  which  even  David,  "  the 
sweet  psalmist  of  Israel"  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  1),  formed  that  glorious 
body  of  psalmodic  literature  or  hymnology,  which,  with  its  later 
but  inspired  and  authoritative  imitations,  constitutes  the  present 
Book  of  Psalms.  The  date  of  the  composition,  though  uncertain 
because  not  recorded,  may  with  most  probability  be  fixed  near  the 
close  of  the  Error  in  the  Wilderness,  when  the  dying  out  of  the 
older  generation  on  account  of  their  transgressions,  and  the 
threatened  exclusion  of  Moses  himself  from  the  Promised  Land, 
were  exactly  suited  to  produce  such  views  of  man's  mortality  and 
sinfulness  as  are  here  presented,  but  without  destroying  the  anti- 
cipation of  a  bright  futurity,  such  as  really  ensued  upon  the  death 
of  Moses,  and  is  prospectively  disclosed  in  the  conclusion  of  this 
psalm.  Its  great  theme  is  the  frailty  and  brevity  of  human  life, 
considered  as  the  consequence  of  sin,  and  as  a  motive  to  repent- 
ance and  obedience.  He  first  contrasts  the  eternity  of  God  with 
the  mortality  of  man,  vs.  1 — 6,  which  is  then  described  as  the 
eflfect  of  the  divine  wrath  on  account  of  sin,  vs.  7 — 11,  and  mad" 


PSALM    XC.  295 

the  gi  (jvirtu.  of  a  pra}  er,  with  which  the  psahn  concludes,  for  the 
speedy  resvoration  of  the  divine  favour,  vs    12 — 17. 

1.  A  Fv'^y^r.  By  Moses,  the  Man  of  God.  Lord,  a  homt 
hast  thou  been  *.o  us,  in  generation  and  generation.  The  psalm  ia 
called  a  prayi  j  because  the  petition  at  the  close  (vs,  12 — 17) 
contains  the  esk^iice  of  the  composition,  to  which  the  rest  is 
merely  preparatory.  For  another  case  precisely  similar,  see 
above,  on  Ps.  lxxx\l.  1.  The  correctness  of  the  title  which  as- 
cribes the  psalm  to  Moses  is  confirmed  by  its  unique  simplicity 
and  grandeur  ;  its  a j  prop r lateness  to  his  times  and  circumstances, 
as  already  stated;  its  rtyemblance  to  the  Law  in  urging  the  con- 
nection between  sin  axid  death ;  its  similarity  of  diction  to  the 
poetical  portions  of  the  Pentateuch,  without  the  slightest  trace  of 
imitation  or  quotation  ;  its  marked  unlikeness  to  the  psalms  of 
David,  and  still  more  to  those  of  later  date  ;  and  finally  the  proved 
impossibihty  of  plausibly  assigning  it  to  any  other  age  or  author. 
The  arguments  against  its  authenticity  have  commonly  been 
framed  by  a  preposterous  inversion  of  the  evidence,  converting 
into  proofs  of  later  date  the  very  points  of  similarity  which  prove 
that  this  was  the  original  and  model  psalm,  the  primeval  basis  upon 
which  even  David  reared  a  noble  superstructure  of  his  own.  The 
title  Man  of  God  is  given  to  Moses,  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  1.  Josh.  xiv. 
6.  Ezr.  iii.  2,  md  is  often  applied  to  later  prophets,  especially 
Elijah  and  Elisha.  See  1  Sam.  ii.  27.  1  Kings  xvii.  18,  24.  xx. 
28.  2  Kings  i.  13.  iv.  9,  21,  27,  42.  It  is  here  significant,  im- 
plying that  Moses  wrote  the  psalm  in  this  capacity.  See  above 
on  Ps.  xviii.  1.  xxxvi.  1,  where  David  is  in  like  manner  called  the 
Servant  of  Jehovah,  a  title  given  to  Moses  himself  in  the  account 
of  his  death,  Deut.  xxxiv.  5,  as  David,  on  the  other  hand,  is 
called  the  Man  of  God,  2  Chr.  viii.  14.  Instead  of  hast  been 
some  read  art ;  but  though  the  preterite  of  other  verbs  may  be 
used  to  express  general  truths,  the  present  of  the  substantive  verb 
fs  so  commonly  suppressed,  that  its  form,  when  inserted,  mus< 


296  PSALM    XC. 

have  some  significance.  The  truth  seems  to  be,  that  the  verse 
expresses  only  what  God  had  been,  but  implies  what  he  still  was 
and  still  would  be.  A  home,  a  fixed  or  settled  dwelling,  even 
while  they  wandered  in  the  desert.  The  same  noun  is  used  by 
Moses,  Deut.  xxvi.  15,  and  a  kindred  form,  Deut.  xxxiii.  27.  In 
generation  and  generation^  in  all  successive  generations.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  x.  6.  xxxiii.  11.  xlv.  18  (17.)  xlix.  12  (11.)  Ixi.  7  (6.) 

2.  Before  mountains  were  horn^  and  (before)  thoii  had&t  hrovght 
forth  earth  and  land^  and  (indeed)  from  eternity  to  eternity^  thou 
{art)  God.  The  mountains  are  first  mentioned  according  to  a 
scriptural  usage  which  describes  them  as  the  oldest  poitions  of 
the  earth.  See  Gen.  xlix.  26.  Num.  xxiii.  7.  Deut.  xxxiii.  15. 
Hab.  iii.  6.  By  a  strong  but  common  and  intelligible  figure, 
creation  is  here  described  as  generation.  This  is  true  not  only 
of  the  first  verb  but  of  the  second,  which  is  too  vaguely  rendered  in 
the  common  version  {thou  hads,t  formed.)  Earth.,  as  opposed  to 
heaven  ;  land.,  as  opposed  to  sea.  These  are  separately  mentioned, 
as  in  the  account  of  the  creation.  See  Gen.  i.  1,9.  The  last 
clause  may  also  be  translated,  thou  art.,  oh  God  !  It  then  simply 
asserts  his  existence  from  eternity.  According  to  the  other  and 
more  usual  construction,  it  likewise  asserts  his  omnipotence,  the 
attribute  denoted  by  the  divine  name  here  employed.  This  is  the 
fuller  and  more  comprehensive  sense  ;  but  in  favour  of  the  other 
may  be  urged,  that  it  is  simpler  and  agrees  best  with  the  proxi- 
mate design  of  the  Psalmist  to  contrast  the  eternal  God  with 
short-lived  man. 

3.  Thou  turnest  man  even  to  dust,  and  say  est,  Return,  sons  of 
Man  (or  Adam)  !  The  evident  allusion  to  Gen.  iii.  19,  which  is 
also  found  in  Job  x.  9.  xxxiv.  15,  and  re-appears  in  Ps.  civ.  29 
(compare  Ps.  ciii.  14),  may  serve  to  determine  the  meaning  of  the 
word  translated  dust  in  the  first  clause,  but  which  is  properly  an 
adjective  signifying  criisJied,  broken  to  pieces,  ground  to  powder, 


PSALM    XC.  29-7 

and  is  figuratively  applied,  in  Ps.  xxxiv.  19  (IS),  to  brokennesa 
of  heart.  Compare  Isai.  Ivii.  15.  The  Hebrew  preposition  (ns?) 
is  stronger  than  our  to^  and  means  as  far  as,  even  to.  The  full 
sense  of  •  the  whole  phrase  is,  even  to  the  state  of  one  completely 
crushed  or  ground  to  powder,  even  to  a  pulverized  condition 
The  shortness  and  fragility  of  human  life  is  thus  brought  into  the 
strongest  contrast  with  the  eternity  of  God. 

4.  For  a  thousand  years  in  thine  eyes  (are)  as  yesterday  when  it 
15  jpast  and  a  watch  in  the  night.  However  long  human  life  may 
appear  to  man  himself,  it  is  in  God's  sight  evanescent  and  con- 
temptible. Even  the  patriarchal  measure,  which  so  often  ap 
proximated  to  a  thousand  years,  was  in  God's  sight  like  a  single 
day  in  man's,  or  rather  like  a  mere  subdivision  of  it,  a  third  parV 
of  the  night,  which  was  divided  by  the  ancient  Hebrews  into 
three  watches.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  7  (6.)  That  this  di- 
vision was  as  old  as  Moses,  may  be  seen  from  Ex.  xiv.  24. 
TVhen  it  is  past  or  passing.  It  might  also  be  translated,  for  it 
passes^  i.  e.  no  less  hastily  and  swiftly.  This  verse  is  quoted  and 
amplified,  but  without  any  change  of  meaning,  2  Pet.  iii.  8. 

5.  Thou  siveepest  them  away — a  sleep  are  they — in  thf,  morning.^ 
like  the  grass.,  they  pass  away.  The  first  Hebrew  verb  has  no 
equivalent  in  English  ;  it  means  to  sweep  away  or  carry  off,  as 
by  a  driving  rain.  The  supposition  of  a  reference  to  the  flood  is 
not  necessary  though  admissible.  A  derivative  form  of  the  same 
verb  occurs  above,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  18  (17.)  The  comparison  of  hu- 
man life  to  a  sleep  or  dream  is  common  in  all  languages.  Tho 
morning  is  mentioned  as  the  time  of  waking,  the  time  when  wa 
are  most  impressed  with  the  unsubstantial  nature  of  our  dreams. 
See  above,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  20,  and  compare  Ps.  xxxix.  7  (6.)  The 
grass  is  an  additional  but  obvious  emblem  of  caducity.  The 
last  verb  is  not  a  plural  ^orm  in  Hebrew,  but  agrees  with  sleep^oa 

13* 


298  PSALM    XC 

rather  with  man,  in  thfi  generic  sense,  whose  life  is  here  com 
pared  to  sleep. 

6.  In  the  morning  it  hlooms  and  (then)  passes  away^  (for)  at 
evening  he  moios  and  it  withers.  The  mention  of  the  morning,  in 
V.  5,  as  following  the  night,  suggests  the  mention  of  the  morn- 
ing here,  as  followed  by  the  evening.  The  first  verb  means  not 
merely  to  flourish  in  the  wide  sense,  but  to  bloom,  as  plants  do 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  16,  and  compare  Num.  xvii.  23  (8), 
which  proves  it  to  be  a  Mosaic  expression.  The  verbs  may  agree 
with  grass,  or  with  man  whom  the  grass  represents,  more  probably 
the  latter.  The  idea  conveyed  by  supplying  then  is  really  in- 
volved in  the  grammatical  relation  of  the  Hebrew  verbs,  the 
second  of  which  never  means  to  grow  or  sprout,  but  always  to  pa^s 
or  undergo  a  change.  The  third  verb  is  active  but  may  be  con- 
strued with  an  indefinite  subject,  and  is  then  equivalent  in  mean- 
ing to  a  passive,  he  is  mown  and  withers.  The  withering  is  not 
here  referred  to  as  the  eifect  of  natural  decay  but  of  violent  ex- 
cision. With  the  whole  verse  compare  Ps.  xxxvii.  2.  ciii.  15. 
Job  xiv.  2. 

7.  For  we  fail  in  thine  anger,  and  in  thy  wrath  are  we  aj- 
frighted.  The  natural  decay  or  violent  interruption  of  man's 
life  is  the  effect  of  God's  displeasure.  The  first  verb  means  to 
waste  away,  decay,  wear  out,  cease  to  exist.  Compare  its  use  in  Ps. 
Ixxi.  9.  Ixxiii.  26.  The  other  verb  is  very  inadequately  repre- 
sented by  the  English  trouUed.     It   means  shocked,  confounded, 

.  agitated,  terror-stricken.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  5.  vi.  3,  4  (2,3.) 
xlviii.  6  (5.)lxxviii.  33.  Ixxxiii.  16  (15),  and  below,  on  Ps.  civ  29, 
and  compare  my  note  on  Isai.  Ixv.  23.  It  here  denotes  the 
natural  instinctive  dread  of  death.  There  is  here  a  very  sensible 
progression  in  the  thought.  Thus  far  the  Psalmist  had  insisted 
merely  on  the  frailty  and  brevity  of  human  life  ;  but  now  he 
proceeds  further  and  propounds  the  fearful  doctrine,  that  tlij 


PSALM   XC.  290 

sorrowful  mortality  is  not  an  accident  but  an  infliction,  the  direct 
effect  of  the  divine  wrath.  Whatever  instrumental  agencies  ma^ 
be  employed  to  kill  ns,  our  real  destroyer  is  the  anger  of  our 
Maker. 

8.  Thow  hast  set  our  iniquities  before  thee ^  our  secret  {sins) -in 
the  light  of  thy  countenance.  As  man's  mortality  is  the  effect  of 
God'8  wrath,  so  this  wrath  itself  is  the  effect  of  sin.  And  thia 
sin  becomes  the  cause  of  death.  See  Gen.  ii.  17,  and  compa^re 
Rom.  V.  12.  The  verse  before  us  represents  (rod  in  the  act  of 
f-hortening  man's  life,  and  gives  the  necessary  explanation  of 
what  might  otherwise  have  seemed  at  variance  with  his  infinite 
benevolence.  The  Bible,  as  an  eminent  interpreter  has  well  said, 
throws  the  blame  of  death  entirely  on  man  himself  When  God 
slays  man,  he  puts  his  sins  before  him,  looks  directly  at  them  ;  not 
only  those  which  are  notorious,  but  those  which  are  concealed  from 
every  eye  but  that  of  omniscience.  See  Jer.  xvi.  17.  Heb  iv.  14, 
and  compare  Ps.  xix.  15  (14.)  1  Cor.  iv.  4,  5.  Another  reading  in 
the  last  clause,  and  most  probably  the  true  one,  makes  secret  or  cow- 
-m^led  a  singular  and  not  a  plural  form,  our  secret ;  but  the  refer- 
ence is  still  to  sin.  The  v/ord  translated  light  does  not  properly 
denote  the  element  itself,  but  that  from  which  it  is  derived,  a 
lujninary y  just  as  we  call  a  candle  or  a  lamp  a  light.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  Ixxiv.  16.  The  precise  sense  seems  to  be,  that  God  holds 
our  sins  to  the  light  of  his  own  countenance,  and  therefore  cannot 
fail  to  see  them. 

9.  For  all  our  days  are  gone  in  thine  anger  ;  we  spend  oui 
years  like  a  thought.  The  all  in  the  first  clause  is  emphatic. 
What  he  says  is  true  of  our  whole  life.  Are  gone.,  literally, 
turned  away.,  as  an  act  preparatory  to  departure.  The  word 
translated  anger.,  though  synonymous,  is  not  identical,  with  eithor 
of  those  used  above  in  v.  7.  It  occurs,  however,  in  Ps.  vii.  7  (6) 
ajid  according  to  its  derivation  properly  denotes  an  outbreak  o^ 


300  PSALM    XC. 

angry  feeling,  Spend^  not  as  a  mere  synonyrae  of  pass,  but  in  the 
strong  sense  of  consuming,  wasting,  as  in  Job.  xxxvi.  11  (com- 
pare xxi.  13.)  The  PTebrew  verb  is  the  causative  of  that  trans- 
lated fail  in  v.  7.  The  us3  of  years  as  a  parallel  to  days  gives 
the  sentence  a  climacteric  effect.  The  word  translated  thought  is 
elsewhere  applied  to  audible  sound  (Ez.  ii.  10.  Job.  xxxvii.  2), 
but  only  as  the  natural  spontaneous  expression  of  the  thoughts 
and  feelings,  not  to  others  but  one's  self.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixiii.  7  (6  )  Ixxvii.  13  (12.)  By  some  strange  misapprehension 
the  Septuagint  and  Vulgate  make  it  mean  a  spider,  and  the  Eng- 
lish versions  have  the  singular  periphrasis,  a  tale  that  is  told. 

10.  The  days  of  our  years!  In  them  (are  contained)  seventy 
years,  and  if  irith  strength  eighty  years,  and  their  pride  (is) 
trouble  and  mischief,  for  he  drives  (us)  fast  and  we  fly  away 
The  parallelism  of  days  and  years  in  the  preceding  verse  suggests 
their  combination  here,  a  combination  used  by  Moses  elsewhere 
in  describing  the  long  lives  of  the  patriarchal  history.  See  Gen. 
XXV.  7.  xlvii.  8,  9.  The  words  may  here  be  taken  simply  as  an 
absolute  nominative,  [as  for)  the  days  of  our  years,  in  them  etc. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  3  (2.)  But  it  adds  to  their  signili- 
gance,  as  well  as  to  the  beauty  of  the  sentence,  to  explain  them 
as  a  kind  of  wondering  exclitmation,  as  if  such  a  term  scarcely 
deserved  to  be  computed.  In  them  are  seventy  years,  this  is  what 
they  comprise  or  comprehend,  it  is  to  this  that  they  amount. 
The  life  of  Moses  was  much  longer  (Deut  xxxiv.  7),  but  even  in 
the  history  appears  to  be  recorded  as  a  signal  exception  to  the 
general  rule.  If  with  strength,  if  accompanied  with  strength,  or, 
as  some  prefer  to  construe  it,  if  (the  person  be  endued)  with 
(more  than  usual)  strength.  The  plural  {stre7igths)  may  be  an 
idiomatic  form  of  speech,  simply  equivalent  to  the  singular,  or  an 
intensive  term  denoting  extraordinary  strength.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xviii.  51  (50.)  Their  pride,  the  best  part  of  our  days  oi* 
vears,  the  part  in  which  we  are  most  confident  or  most  contented 


PSALM    XC  30i 

The  words  translated  trovhie  and  rnuchiif^v^  in  usage  "both  applied 
to  suffering  at  the  hands  or  through  the  fault  of  others.  The  com- 
mon version  of  the  next  verb  {it  is  cut  o£')  rests  upon  a  doubtful 
etymology.  In  the  only  other  place  where  the  Hebrew  verb 
certainly  occurs  (Num.  xi.  31),  it  is  applied  to  the  driving  of  the 
quails  by  a  strong  wind  over  the  camp  of  Israel.  It  may  here 
agree  with  God  himself,  or  with  a  subject  undefined,  one  drives 
(us),  which  is  tantamount  to  saying,  we  are  driven.  Fast,  lit- 
erally, (in)  haste  or  hastily.  And.,  as  a  necessary  consequence, 
wejly  before  the  propellent  power. 

1 1 .  Who  knows  the  poicer  of  thine  anger  and.,  according  to  thy 
fear^  thy  wrath  ?  The  separation  of  the  clauses  as  distinct  pro- 
positions makes  the  last  unmeaning.  The  whole  is  one  interro- 
gation, implying  strong  negation,  as  if  he  had  said,  no  one  knows 
the  power  of  thine  anger.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  4.  liii.  5  (4.) 
The  sense  is  not  that  no  one  can,  but  that  no  one  will  know  it,  as 
he  might  and  ought.  Knoics,  literally,  knoiving,  i.  e.  habitually. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  6.  The  power  of  thine  anger,  its  degree  and 
the  extent  to  which  it  operates.  According  to  thy  fear,  as  true 
piety  or  reverence  for  God  demands.  Thy  icrath,  the  same  word 
that  is  used  in  the  first  clause  of  v.  9  above. 

12.  To  numler  our  days  thus  make  us  know,  and  we  icill  bring 
a  heart  of  ivisdom.  The  verb  translated  make  us  know  is  the 
causative  of  that  in  the  preceding  verse,  to  which  there  is  an  ob- 
vious allusion.  It  is  therefore  probable  that  they  were  meant  to 
govern  the  same  object.  '  Who  knows  the  power  of  thine  anger  .^' 
'  So  make  us  know  (the  power  of  thine  anger.)'  The  first  words 
of  the  verse  before  us  are  then  not  immediately  dependent  on  the 
phrase  make  {us)  know,  but  merely  indicate  the  end  for  which 
the  knowledge  was  desired.  '  In  order  that  we  may  number  our 
days,  i.  e.  know  and  feel  how  few  they  are,  thus  make  us  know, 
i  e.  give  us  this  knowledge  of  the  connection  between  God's  wrath 


302  PSALM  XC. 

and  our  owe  mortality.'  The  common  version  of  the  last  clause 
{that  mc  may  apply  our  hearts  unto  wisdom)  is  forced  and  un- 
grammatical,  without  an  arbitrary  change  of  pointiuii.  The  only 
admissible  construction  of  the  masoretic  text  is  that  first  given, 
which  may  either  mean,  as  some  of  the  rabbinical  interpreters 
suppose,  '  we  will  bring  into  ourselves  (i.  e.  acquire)  a  heart  of 
wisdom,'  or,  '  we  will  bring  (as  an  oiFering  to  thee)  a  heart  of 
wisdom,'  with  allusion  to  Gen.  iv.  3,  4,  where  the  same  verb  is 
absolutely  used  of  Cain  and  Abel's  offerings. 

13.  Return,  Jehovah!  How  long  (wilt  thou  forsake  us)  } — 
And  repent  as  to  thy  servants.  To  the  prayer  that  the  people  may 
anderstand  the  causes  of  God's  wrath  is  now  added  a  prayer  for 
its  removal.  The  loss  of  God's  favour  is,  as  usual,  represented 
as  his  absence.  The  aposiopesis  in  the  question  [how  long  ?)  is 
lik^  that  in  Ps.  vi.  4  (3.)  xiii.  2  (1.)  This  clause  being  paren- 
thetical, what  follows  is  connected  by  the  copulative  particle  with 
the  Imperative  at  the  beginning.  The  mepning  of  the  last  clause 
is,  so  change  thy  dealing  with  thy  servants  as  if  thou  hadst  re- 
pented of  afflicting  them.  The  same  bold  form  of  speech  is  used 
by  Mosss  elsewhere.  See  Ex.  xxxii  12.  Deut.  xxxii.  36,  and 
compare  the  imitations  in  Judg.  ii.  18.  Jer.  xv.  6.  Joel  ii.  13. 
Jon.  iv.  ?.  Ps.  cxxxv.  14. 

14.  Satisfy  us,  in  the  morning,  with  thy  mercy,  and  (then)  wb 
shall  rejoice  and  be  glad  through  all  our  days.  God's  grace  is  here 
presented  as  the  food  required  for  the  sustenance  of  his  people. 
Satisfy  or  sate  us,  i.  e.  fill  us,  abundantly  supply  us.  In  the 
morning  J  early,  speedily,  perhaps  with  an  allusion  to  the  night  as 
a  common  figure  for  affliction.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  4  (3.)  xlvi. 
6  (5.)  xlix.  15  (14.)  lix.  17  (16.)  Ixxxviii.  14  (13.)  The  oblique 
construction  of  the  last  clause,  that  we  majj  rejoice  etc.,  is  really 
involved  in  the  direct  one,  which  is  much  more  pointed  and  em- 
phatic.    In  or  through  all  our  days,  i.  e.  throughout  the  remaindv>i 


PSALM    XC.  303 

of  our  lives.     The  English  idiom  allows  the  suppression  of  the 
partif'.ie,  us  in  the  common  version. 

!•:».  Make  us  glad  according  to  ike  days  thou  hast  affiicted  ii& 
the  years  we  have  seen  evil.  According  to.,  literally,  as  or  like. 
The  meaning  is,  compensate  all  our  sufferings  by  proportionate 
enjoyments.  The  ellipsis  of  the  relative  is  common  in  both  idioms. 
The  English  Bible,  by  supplying  it,  enfeebles  the  expression 
without  making  the  sense  clearer.  Days  and  years.,  as  in  v.  9. 
The  plural  forms  in  the  Hebrew  are  unusual  and  borrowed  from 
Deut.  xxxii.  7,  a  IMosaic  feature  of  the  psalm  which  cannot  pos- 
sibly be  reproduced  in  any  version. 

16.  Let  appear  unto  thy  servants  thy  doing ,  and  thy  glory  on 
t/wir  sons  (or  children.)  He  prays  that  even  to  the  elder  genera- 
tion there  may  be  vouchsafed  a  token  for  good  (Ps.  Ixxxvi.  17), 
i.  e.  some  assurance  of  the  favours  to  be  actually  bestowed  upon 
their  children.  Thus  understood,  the  use  of  the  two  prepositions, 
tu  and  on.,  is  not  unmeaning  or  fortuitous.  God's  work  or  doing 
is  the  course  of  his  providential  dealings,  as  in  Ps.  xcii.  5  (4)  be- 
low ;  his  glory  the  manifestation  of  his  divine  perfections  in  ex- 
ternal act.  See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  6  (5.)  xlv.  4  (3.)  This  was 
to  appear  not  only^o  but  on  the  younger  race,  i.  e.  in  their  own 
experience. 

17.  Aiid  let  the  beauty  of  Jehovah  our  God  he  ujion  us.,  and  the, 
work  of  our  hands  establish  upon  us^  and  the  work  of  our  hands., 
establish  thou  it.  While  the  glory  of  Jehovah  is  expected  to  be 
fully  revealed  only  in  his  dealings  with  the  next  generation,  he  is 
still  besought  to  grant  their  fathers  the  experimental  knowledge 
of  his  beauty^  loveliness,  or  all  that  renders  him  an  object  of  af- 
fection. See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  4.  The  work  of  om-  hands  is 
a  favourite  Mosaic  phrase  for  all  that  we  do  or  undertake,  all  our 
affairs  and  interests.     See  Deut.  xiv.  29.  xvi.  15.  xxiv.  19.  xxviii 


804  PSALM    XCI. 

12.  XXX.  9.  To  establish  or  confirm  it  is  to  prosper  and  succeec\ 
it,  to  bring  it  to  a  favourable  issue.  The  expression  on  us,  as 
before,  suggests  the  idea  of  an  influence  exerted  and  a  favour 
granted  from  above.  The  yea  of  the  common  version  is  substi- 
tuted for  the  idiomatic  repetition  of  the  copulative  and  in  the 
original. 


PSALM     XCI. 

An  amplification  of  the  theme,  that  God  is  the  dwelling-place 
and  refuge  of  his  people.  This  and  other  points  of  contact  with 
the  Prayer  of  Moses  seem  to  mark  it  as  an  imitation  of  that 
psalm,  and  thereby  account  for  its  position  in  the  Psalter.  The 
most  remarkable  peculiarity  of  form  in  the  psalm  before  us  is  ihe 
frequent  change  and  alternation  of  the  persons.  The  only  divi- 
sion which  can  well  be  made  is  that  into  two  stanzas  or  strophes, 
supposed  to  be  marked  by  the  recurrence  in  v.  9  to  the  theme 
propounded  in  v.  1. 

1.  Sitting  (or  dwelling)  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  m 
tfije  shadow  of  the  Almighty  he  is  lodged.  The  common  version 
seems  to  make  this  an  identical  proposition,  amounting  really  to 
this,  that  he  whom  God  protects  is  protected  by  him.  To  avoid 
this,  some  make  the  whole  verse  a  mere  description  of  the  per- 
son speaking  in  the  next  verse,  and  as  this  seems  to  be  forbidden 
by  the  use  of  the  first  person  there,  they  either  make  an  arbi- 
trary change  of  pointing  (n?p5|i  for  'i^'si  ),or  suppose  a  sudden  change 
of  person,  as  in  other  parts  of  this  same  psalm.  Better  than 
either  of  these  constructions  is  a  third,  which  makes  the  parallel 
clauses  of  this  first  verse  descriptive  of  an  ideal  person,  with  whom 
the  speaker  is  then  tacitly  identified.      As  if  he  had  s.-nd,  '  happ\ 


PSALM   XCI 


305 


the  man  who  dwells,  etc.,'  and  then  added,  'such  is  my  con- 
dition ;  I  can  say,  etc.  'For  the  figure  of  a  secret  place  or  covert, 
see  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  5.  xxxi.  21  (20.)  xxxii.  7  ;  for  that  of  a 
shadow,  on  Ps.  xvii.  8.  xxxvi.  8  (7.)  Ivil.  2(1.)  The  divino 
titles.  Highest  and  Almighty^  suggest  the  reason  of  this  perfect 
safety.  The  latter  is  the  patriarchal  title  mentioned  in  Ex. 
vi.  3,  where  it  is  combined  with  (bi?)  a  more  familiar  name  de- 
noting the  same  attribute.  The  last  verb  is  strictly  a  reflective, 
and  as  such  means  to  take  up  one's  lodgings,  to  domesticate  one's 
self,  implying  a  voluntary  choice  more  clearly  than  the  primitive 
verb,  as  used  above,  in  Ps.  xxv.  13.  xxx.  6  (5.)  xlix.  13  (12.) 

2.  /  will  say  to  Jehovah^  My  refuge  and  my  fortress^  my  God^ 
T  will  trust  in  him.  The  first  verb,  while  it  expresses  purpose  or 
determination,  includes  both  a  present  and  potential  meaning.  I 
can  say.,  I  have  reason  and  a  right  to  say  ;  and  1  do  (habitually) 
say.  In  order  to  avoid  another  change  of  person,  the  common 
version  and  some  others  read  of  the  Lord.,  which  is  admissible  but 
needless.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.)  Compare  the  other 
figures  here  used  to  denote  divine  protection  with  those  in  Ps. 
xviii.  3  (2)  Ixxi.  7.  In  the  last  clause,  I  will  trust  in  him.,  there 
may  seem  to  be  another  sudden  change  of  person ;  but  these 
words  are  really  equivalent  to  a  relative  construction,  in  whom  1 
trusty  and  may  therefore  be  used  even  in  a  direct  address. 

3.  For  lo,  heivill  free  thee  from  the  fowler'' s  snare.^  from  the 
flague  of  mischiefs.  The  confiding  soul  is  now  addressed  direct- 
ly in  the  tone  of  promise.  The  supposition  of  responsive  choirs 
is  a  gratuitous  refinement.  The  foivler^s  snare  is  a  figure  for  in- 
sidious and  complicated  dangers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  6  (5), 
and  below,  on  Ps.  cxxiv.  7,  and  compare  2  Tim.  ii.  26.  The  par- 
allelism requires  plague  or  pesHlence  to  be  taken  as  a  metaphor, 
no  less  than  snare.  Both  probably  denote  dangers  arising  from 
the  craft  of  wicked  enemies,  to  which  the   word   translated  mis' 


JOG  PSALM  XCl. 

chiefs  is  peculiarly  appropriate.      See  above,    on  Ps.  v.  10  (9.) 
lii.  4,  9  {2,  1.)  Ivii.  2  (1.) 

4.  With  his  jpinion  he  ivill  cover  ihee^  and  under  his  icings  thou 
shall  find  shelter  ;  shield  and  huclder  (is)  his  truth.  Compare  the 
figure  of  an  eagle,  Deut.  xxxii.  11.  For  the  meaning  of  the  first 
Doun,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  14  (13.)  Cover  thee,  literally, 
cover  (or  provide  a  covering)  for  thee.  Find  shelter  or  taker  fuge^ 
see  above  on  Ps.  ii.  12.  The  word  translated  luckier  is  properly 
a  participle  and  means  surrovMding.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  2. 

5.  Thou  shalt  not  he  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night,  for  the 
arrow  (that)  flies  by  day.  Shalt  not  fear,  i.  e.  shalt  have  no 
reason  for  alarm.  Terror  by  night,  literally,  of  night,  i.  e.  night- 
ly or  nocturnal  terror.  There  is  no  need  of  restricting  this  ex- 
pression to  any  particular  form  of  danger  or  distress,  since  all  are 
usually  aggravated  by  their  occurrence  in  the  night.  Should 
any  specific  sense  be  put  upon  the  figure  of  an  arrow,  from 
analogy  and  usage,  it  would  be  that  of  human  enmity.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  Iviii.  8  (7.)  The  Hebrew  preposition,  in  both  clauses, 
properly  means /rowi,  i.  e.  arising  or  proceeding  from,  occasioned 
by,  in  consequence  of,  something  else. 

6.  For  the  jplague  (that)  in  darkness  walks,  for   the  pestilence, 
that)  loastes  at  noon.     Here  the  words  are  to  be  taken  in  their 

proper  sense,  and  not  as  in   v.  3,  where  they  are  figures  for  a 
diiferent  kind  of  danger,  or  for  danger  in  the  general. 

7.  There  shall  fall  at  thy  side  a  thousand,  and  a  myriad  at  thy 
right  hand  ;  to  thee  it  shall  not  come  nigh.  This  is  equivalent  to 
saying  in  our  idiom,  though  a  thousand  fall,  e*tc.,  which,  however, 
would  not  be  an  exact  translation,  as  it  substitutes  a  hypothetical 
for  an  affirmative  proposition.  For  the  double  sense  and  usage  of 
tiie  word  translated  myriad    lee  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  7  f6),  and  com- 


PSALM   XCl.  80-7 

pare  tlie  cognate  form,  Ps  Ixviii.  18  (17.)  Myriad  represents 
the  original  term  better  than  ten  thousand^  because  it  is  wholly 
different,  in  form  and  etymology,  from  that  translated  thousand. 

8.  Only  with  thine  eyes  shall  thou  behold^  and  the  recompense  oj 
wicked  {men)  see.  The  07dy  puts  mere  sight  in  opposition  to  ex- 
perience or  participation.  Compare  Deut.  xxxii.  35,  41 .  As 
usual  in  such  cases,  it  is  implied  that  the  destruction  of  the  wicked 
and  deliver?ince  of  the  righteous  will  be  coincident  and  simul- 
taneous.    B-^e  below,  on  Ps.  xcii.  12  (11.) 

9.  .For  t\ou,  Jehovahj  {art)  my  refuge.  The  Most  High  hast 
thou  made  'hy  home  (or  habitation.)  The  construction  adopted 
in  tho  Eorlish  Bible  is  a  forced  one,  only  assumed  in  order  to 
avoid  the  enallage  or  sudden  change  of  person,  which,  however,  is 
characteristic  of  this  psalm.  Equally  needless  and  objectionable 
is  the  supposition  of  responsive  choirs. 

10.  There  shall  not  happen  to  thee  (any)  evil,  and  a  stroke  shall 
'ttyt  cpproach  into  thy  tent.  The  first  verb  is  a  causative  passive 
and  Btrictly  means  shall  not  be  suffered  or  allowed  to  happen. 
Fvil,  i.  e.  natural  evil,  suffering  or  distress.  The  word  trans- 
lated stroke  is  very  commonly  applied  to  God's  strokes  or  afflic- 
tive judgments.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxviii.  12  (H.)  xxxix. 
11  (10.)  Into  thy  tent  is  an  expression  apparently  intended  to 
qualify  the  promise,  which  might  otherwise  have  seemed  too  abso- 
lute and  inconsistent  with  the  context  from  which  we  learn  that 
danger  was  to  draw  nigh,  even  to  the  righteous,  but  not  so  ag 
actually  to  enter  his  tent,  and  take  up  its  abode  with  him. 

11.  For  his  angels  he  will  charge  concerning  thee,  to  keep  thee  in 
ail  thy  ways.  The  plural  angels  shows  that  there  is  no  allusion  to  a 
guardian  spirit  attending  the  individual  believer,  but  merely  to  the 
angels  collectively,  as  ministering  spirits,  the  instrumental  agents 


308  PSALM   XCI. 

of  God's  providential  care  over  his  people.  See  Heb.  i.  14 
The  promise  here  given  does  not  extend  to  dangers  rashly  incurred 
or  presumptuously  sought,  and  was  therefore  no  justification  of  the 
act  to  which  our  Lord  was  tempted  by  the  devil,  Matth.  iv.  6 
That  the  mere  omission  of  the  phrase  i?i  all  thy  ways  was  a  part 
of  the  temptation,  seems  to  be  a  gratuitous  refinement,  as  our 
Lord  himself  makes  no  such  charge  ;  as  the  fii-st  words  of  the 
sentence  would  of  course  suggest  the  rest ;  and  as  ways,  in  the 
usage  of  the  Psalms,  does  not  mean  ways  of  duty,  but  the  ways 
in  which  a  man  is  led  by  Providence.  Neither  the  tempter's 
argument  nor  our  Lord's  reply  to  it  would  be  at  all  aifected  by 
the  introduction  of  the  words  suppressed. 

12.  Upon  (their)  hands  shall  they  bear  thee^  lest  thou  striH 
against  the  stone  thy  foot.  The  dual  form,  denoting  both  hands^ 
might  be  regarded  as  emphatic  and  suggestive  of  peculiar  care  ; 
but  the  Hebrew  noun  has  no  other  plural  form  in  common  use. 
A  smooth  path  and  unimpeded  walk  is  a  common  figure  for  pros- 
perity and  safety.     Compare  Prov.  iii.  23. 

13.  On  lion  and  adder  thou  shalt  tread ;  thou  shalt  trample 
young  lion  and  dragon.  These  are  commonly  supposed  to  be 
strong  figures  for  the  two  kinds  of  danger  from  which  men  need 
protection,  open  violence  and  secret  treachery.  The  last  word 
denotes  a  serpent,  as  in  Ex.  vii.  9.  The  specific  meaning  of  the 
parallel  term  is  unimportant.  The  young  lion  (not  the  lion's 
whelp)  is  mentioned  as  peculiarly  fierce  and  greedy.  See  above, 
.on  Ps.  xvii.  12.  xxxiv.  11.  xxxv.  17.     From  this  verse  our  Lord 

derived  the  terms  in  which  he  promised  protection  to  his  followers, 
Luke  x.  19. 

li.  For  he  has  set  his  lovt  upon  me,  and  I  will  rescue  him  ;  I 
will  set  him  on  high  because  he  knows  my  name.  The  first  verb  is  a 
very  strong  expression  for  the  warmest  and  most  violent  attach- 


PSALM    XCl.  309 

iiient,  corresponding  in  part  witli  our  idiomatic  phrase  to  fall  in 
love^  and  followed  by  a  kindred  preposition.  It  seems  to  be  Iiere 
used  to  describe  God  as  an  object  of  supreme  devotion  to  the  true 
believer.  Rescue  him^  cause  him  to  escape.  Set  him  on  high. 
i.  e.  beyond  the  reach  of  danger.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii. 
3  (2.). 49  (48.)  XX.  2  (1.)  lix.  2  (1.)  Ixix.  30  (29.)  Knoivs  my 
name^  has  already  experienced  my  goodness  and  seen  the  evidence 
of  my  perfections.     See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  ix.  11  (lO.j 

15.  He  shall  call  me  and  I  ivill  answer  him.  With  him  {ami)  1 
in  trouble.  I  will  deliver  him  and  honour  him.  The  meaning  of 
the  first  clause  is  essentially  the  same  as  if  he  had  said,  when  he. 
calls  I  will  answer^  but  with  much  more  directness  and  force  in 
the  expression.  Calls  me  to  his  aid,  invokes  me,  prays  to  me. 
Answer  him  by  granting  his  request,  the  idea  commonly  conveyed 
by  the  Hebrew  verb  here  used.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  5  f4.) 
The  futures  have  their  proper  sense,  as  this  is  a  direct  and  formal 
promise.  /  will  he  with  him  would  have  been  expressed  in  the 
same  manner  ;  but  Z  am  with  him  is  still  stronger,  for  it  describes 
God  as  already  present  for  the  protection  and  deliverance  of  his 
people.  Deliver  him^  extricate  him  from  his  embarrassments  and 
dangers  ;  and  lest  the  promise  should  be  thought  to  ensure  mere 
safety,  it  is  added,  /  will  honour  him^  procure  for  him  the  respect 
of  others  by  showing  that  I  favour  him  myself. 

16.  {With)  length  of  days  will  I  satisfy  him.,  and  will  show 
him  my  salvation.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ex.  xx.  12 
Deut.  V.  16.  Ps.  xxiii.  6.  Satisfy  or  satiate^  i.  e.  abundantly 
supply  and  fully  gratify  his  largest  wishes.  With  the  last  clause 
compare  Ps.  1.  23,  where  we  have  the  same  idiomatic  construc- 
tion of  the  verb  to  see  with  the  preposition  m,  meaning  to  be- 
hold with  strong  emotion,  and  especially,  emotion  of  a  pleasur' 
able  kind.  For  a  difi"erent  application  of  the  same  phrase,  sea 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  34.     In  the  last  three  verses,  God  is  him 


310  PSALM    XCir. 

solf  the    speaker,  although   not   expressly   so   aiitotm^jed.     Sea 
above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  11  (10.)  Ixxv.  3,  4  (2,  3.)  ixxxvii.  4. 


PSALM    XCII. 

1.  A  Psalm.  A  Song.  For  the  Sahhath-Day.  The  g^^'^nd 
title  designates  the  Psalm  as  one  of /jraise,  in  strict  confoimitj  to 
its  contents.  The  immediate  subj^/.t  of  the  praise  is  the  exhibi- 
tion of  God's  power  and  wisdom  iu  his  providential  dealings  both 
with  the  wicked  and  the  rightei^as.  As  oca  main  design  ot 
the  sabbath  was  to  afford  an  opportunity  for  the  admiring  con 
templation  of  God's  works  or  doings,  the  T^?Am  before  us  was 
peculiarly  appropriate  at  such  b  time,  and  the  third  clause  of  tho 
inscription  is  evidently  correct. 

2  (1.)  Good  (is  it)  to  give  <\anlis  unto  Jehovah.^  and  to  make 
music  to  thy  name,  Most  High  The  duty  about  to  be  performed 
is  here  described  as  not  only  rv,^'ht  but  pleasant.  For  the  mean- 
ing of  the  two  verbs,  see  above,  on  Pa,  vii.  18  (17.) 

3  (2.)  To  declare  in  the  morning  ihy  mercy .,  and  thy  faithful- 
ness in  the  nights.  The  sentence  is  continued  from  the  preced- 
ing verse,  the  infinitive  with  which  thii  opens  being  governed  by  the 
phrase  it  is  good.  .  In  the  morning.^  taken  by  itself,  implies  eager- 
ness and  promptness,  and  with  the  parallel  phrase  (in  ihe  nights) 
unremitting  diligence  and  constancy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  7. 
xlii.  9  (8  ^  Ixxvii.  7  (6.)  Ixxxviii.  14  (13  )  xc.  14  (13.)     Faithful- 


PSALM  XCII.  311 

ness  in  the  fulfilment  of  promises.  Faith Fulnefos  and  mercy  are 
here  combined  like  truth  and  mercy  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15  (14.) 

4  (3.)  On  decachord  and  on  lyre,  on  meditation  with  a  harp. 
The  first  word  in  Hebrew  means  a  decade,  a  group  or  set  of  ten, 
and    then    an    instrument    of  ten    strings.      See   above,  on  Ps. 

.xxxiii.  2.  In  the  last  clause,  by  a  bold  but  intelligible  figure, 
meditation  is  referred  to  as  an  instrument,  precisely  as  the  lyre 
and  harp  are,  the  latter  being  joined  with  it  as  a  mere  accompani- 
ment. 

5  (4.)  For  thou  hast  gladdened  me,  Jehovah,  ivith  thy  work , 
in  the  doings  of  thy  hands  I  will  rejoice.  This  verse  introduces 
the  theme  or  subject  of  the  praise  proposed,  to  wit,  the  work  and 
doinirs  of  the  Lord,  i.  e.  his  providential  dealings.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xc.  16,  17.  The  last  verb  denotes  properly  the  vocal  ex- 
pression of  an  inward  joy. 

6  (5.)  How  great  are  thy  doings,  Jehovah,  (how)  exceedingly 
deep  thy  thoughts  !  Thoughts  and  doings  are  correlative  expres- 
sions, signifying  plan  and  execution.  Deep,  not  mysterious,  but 
vast,  immense,  and  inexhaustible,  corresponding  to  great  in  the 
other  clause.  With  this  verse,  compare  Ps.  xl.  6  (5.)  Isai.  Iv. 
9.  Rom.  xi.  23. 

7  (6.)  A  man-hrute  will  not  knoio,  and  a  fool  will  not  imder^ 
stand  this.  The  compound  term  at  the  beginning  means  a  man 
who  is  no  better  than  a  brute,  i.  e.  equally  irrational.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xl.  21  (20.)  Ixxiii.  22,  and  below,  on  Ps.  xciv.  8.  Will 
not,  cannot,  or  does  not  know.  This,  i.  e.  what  has  just  been  said 
as  to  the  depth  of  God's  providential  plans  and  purposes. 

8  (6.)  In  the  springing  up  of  wicked  (men)   like  grass,  and 
>hen)  all  the  doers  of  iniquity  bloom,  (it  is)  that  they  may  be  d£- 


SVZ  PSALM   XCIl. 

strayed  foreve?'.  The  infinitive,  as  well  as  the  future,  indicates 
the  time  of  action.  The  literal  translation  of  the  last  words  is, 
for  them  to  be  destroyed  until  eternity. 

9  (S.)  And  thou  (art)  Most  High  to  eternity,  Jehovah  !  This 
brief  but  pregnant  proposition  is  the  centre  of  the  psalm,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  summary  of  its  contents.  The  superlative  ex- 
pression Most  High  is  here  used  to  translate  a  single  Hebrew 
word  which  strictly  means  a  height  or  high-place,  but  here  de- 
notes that  which  holds  the  highest  place  in  the  scale  of  being. 
For  other  applications  of  the  same  word,  see  above,  on  Ps.  vii. 
8  (7.)  X.  5.  xviii.  17  (16.) 

10  (9.)  For  la,  thine  enemies,  Jehovah — for  lo,  thine  enemies  shall 
perish;  dispersed  shall  be  all  the  doers  of  iniquity.  Jehovah  must 
be  the  Most  High,  because  his  enemies  not  only  yield  to  him,  but 
perish  in  his  presence.  Here,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  11,  52  (10,  51), 
the  enemies  of  God  and  of  his  people  are  identified.  The  last 
verb  is  properly  a  reflective,  and  may  be  translated,  they  shall 
scatter  (or  disperse)  themselves,  implying  more  activity  and  eager- 
ness than  the  simple  passive,  shall  be  scattered.  Compare  Job 
iv.  11. 

11  (10.)  And  thou  hast  raised,  like  the  unicorn'^s,  my  horn;  1 
am  anointed  with  fresh  oil.  He  now  contrasts  his  own  experience 
with  that  of  his  enemies  and  God's.  With  the  figure  of  the  first 
clause  compare  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.)  Ixxv.  5,  6,  11  (4,  5,  10.)  Ixxxix. 
IS,  25  Cl7,  24.)  I  am  anointed  or  I  anoint  (my  head).,  the  He- 
brew verb  being  elsewhere  always  active.  The  figure  is  borrowed 
from  the  ancient  custom  of  anointing  the  head  on  festive  occa- 
sions. See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiii.  5.  Fresh  oil,  literally,  green, 
i  e.  verdant,  a  quality  properly  belonging  to  the  tree  being  hera 
transferred  to  its  most  valuable  product. 


PSAJ.M    XCIl.  313 

12  (11.)  And  my  eye  has  looked  upon  my  enemies;  of  those 
H$ing  up  against  me,  evil-doers,  my  ears  shall  hear.  The  sense 
is  that  he  sees  and  hears  whai  is  become  of  them.  Their  destruc- 
tion is  implied,  though  not  expressed.  The  word  translated 
enemies  occurs  only  here.  According  to  the  most  probable  ety- 
mology it  means  watchers,  liers  in  wait  or  ambush.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxvii.  11.  liv.  7  (5.)  Ivi.  3  (2.)  lix.  11  (10),  where  a  cog- 
nate form  occurs.  My  insurgents,  or  those  rising  up  against  me, 
expresses  the  accessory  idea  of  rebellion  against  rightful  authority. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  2(1.)  liv.  5  (3.)  Ixxxvi.  14.  The  addi- 
tion of  malefactors,  evil-doers,  shows  that  it  is  not  merely  as  his 
enemies,  but  on  account  of  their  transgressions  against  God,  that 
he  expects  his  foes  to  perish. 

13  (12.)  A  righteous  {man)  like  a  palm-tree  shall  sprout^  like  a 
cedar  in  Lebanon  shall  grow.  Some  suppose  an  allusion  to  the 
fact  that  these  trees  thrive  even  in  the  most  unfavourable  situa- 
tions. All  that  it  is  necessary  to  assume,  however,  is  that  ap 
trees  in  general  are  natural  and  common  emblems  of  a  prosperous 
existence,  80  the  same  idea  is  conveyed  with  still  more  emphasi.s 
by  the  noblest  species.  The  supposition  of  a  reference  to  tho 
decorations  of  the  temple  is  gratuitous  and  far-fetched. 

14  (13.)  Planted  in  the  house  of  Jehovah,  in  the  courts  of  ow 
God  they  shall  bloom  {ov  fioibrish.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  Iii.  10  (8), 
where  the  same  image  is  presented,  in  a  still  more  specific  form, 
the  olive-tree  being  there  particularly  mentioned. 

15  (14.)  Still  shall  they  hear  fruit  in  old  age  ;  fat  and  green 
shall  they  he.  In  old  age,  literally,  in  grey  or  hoary  hair.  Of  the 
epithets  in  the  last  clause  one  properly  denotes  an  animal,  tho 
other  a  vegetable  quality.  The  essential  idea  is  that  of  tho 
foregoing  verse  carried  out  into  detail. 

VOL.    II.  14 


314  PSALM    XCill. 

16  (15.)  To  declare  that  Jehovah  is  just — my  Rock — and  rto 
unrighteousness  in  Him.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2),  and 
compare  Deut.  xxxii.  4.  The  epithet  just  denotes  the  essential 
rectitude  of  God^  including  his  veracity  and  faithfulness  to  his 
engagements.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  8.  My  Rock  may  be 
simply  in  apposition  with  Jehovah,  Jehovah  my  Rock  is  jtcstj  or  a 
Decond  predicate,  Jehovah  is  just  (and)  my  Rock. 


PSALM      XCIII. 

The  theme  of  this  psalm  is  God's  superiority  to  all  opposing 
powers  and  the  consequent  safety  of  his  church  and  people. 
There  are  strong  reasons  for  believing  that  it  was  designed,  with 
the  one  before  it,  to  form  a  pair  or  double  psalm.  Besides  those 
drawn  from  the  number  of  verses  and  of  the  divine  names,  this 
whole  psalm  may  be  described  as  an  amplification  of  the  laconic 
dictum  in  Ps.  xcii.  9  (8.)  There  is  nothing  to  determine  its 
precise  date ;  but  there  seem  to  be  expressions  in  it,  which  imply 
the  existence  of  imminent  danger  to  the  theocracy  from  some 
great  hostile  power. 

'  1  Jehovah  reigns  ;  (with)  majesty  lie  clothes  himself ;  Jehovah 
clothes  himself  vnth  strength  (and)  ^rds  himself ;  also  established 
is  the  world,  it  shall  not  be  moved.  The  first  clause  does  not 
simply  affirm  Jehovah's  sovereignty  as  a  general  truth,  but  an- 
nounces the  fact  that  he  has  just  become  king  or  begun  to  reign, 
i.  e.  manifested  himself  anew  in  his  regal  character.  The  same 
form  of  the  verb  is  used  in  reference  to  the  accession  of  earthlv 


PSALM    XCIII 


315 


monarchs,  2  Sam.  xv.  10.  1  Kings  i.  11, 13.2  Kings  ix.  13.  The 
word  translated  majesty  is  the  one  applied  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  11  (10) 
to  the  swelling  of  the  sea.  Its  use  here  may  be  intended  to  sug- 
gest the  superiority  of  Grod  to  the  powers  of  this  world.  Clothes 
himself  with^  literally,  puts  on,  wears.  The  other  verb  is  reflec- 
tive in  form.  The  also  introduces  the  consequence  of  this  exalta- 
tion. See  below,  Ps.  xcvi,  10.  xcvii.  1.  xck.  1,  and  compare 
Isai  xxiv.  23.  Obad.  21.  Zech.  xiv.  9.  Rev.  xi.  17.  xix.  6. 

2.  Fixed  (is)  thy  throne,  of  old ;  from  eternity  (art)  thou. 
Fixcdy  firmly  established,  permanently  settled.  Compare  2  Sam. 
vii.  13,  16.  1  Kings  ii.  45.  Of  old,  literally, /;-07?j  then,  as  in  the 
margin  of  the  English  Bible.  Compare  Prov.  viii.  22.  Isai. 
xlviii.  3.  V.  7.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  xc.  2,  and  with 
the  whole  verse  Rev.  i.  17. 

3.  The  floods  have  raised,  Jehovah,  the  floods  have  raised  their 
voice  ;  the  floods  will  raise  their  crash^  or  crashing  noise.  The 
last  Hebrew  word  occurs  only  here,  but  its  etymology  is  obvious 
and  perfectly  analogous  to  that  of  waves  or  breakers  in  the  next 
verse.  The  idea  here  conveyed  is  that  of  the  noise  made  by  the 
dashing  of  waves  against  each  other  or  upon  the  shore.  The 
preterite  and  future  forms  include  the  present,  but  suggest  the 
additional  idea  of  what  has  been  heretofore  and  may  be  expected 
to  continue  hereafter.  The  emphatic  repetition  of  the  verb  is 
like  that  in  v.  1,  and  reappears  in  this  whole  series  (Ps.  xci — c) 
as  a  characteristic  feature. 

4.  More  than  the  voices  of  waters — many — mighty — sea-billows 
' — mighty  in  the  high-jplace  (is)  Jehovah.  More  than,  literally, 
from,  away  from,  the  particle  by  which  comparison  is  commonly 
expressed  in  Hebrew.  The  common  version  of  the  next  clause, 
mighty  waves  of  the  sea,  is  scarcely  grammatical,  as  the  adjective, 
according  to  analogy  and  usage,  cannot  agree  with  the  noun  fol- 


316 


PSALM  XCIII. 


lowing,  but  must  be  in  apposition  with  the  adjective  before  it 
and  agree  with  the  same  object.  The  word  translated  mighty  cor- 
responds, in  part,  to  our  epithets,  sublime  and  graTid.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  viii.  1.  Sea-billows^  literally,  breakers  of  t/i£  sea.  Com- 
pare Ps.  xlii.  8  (7.)  Ixxxviii.  8  (7.)  Jon.  ii.  4  (3.)  That  the 
comparison  was  meant  to  be  between  the  noise  of  the  sea  and  that 
of  thunder  considered  as  the  voice  of  God,  is  an  admissible  but 
not  a  necessary  supposition.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  5. 

5.  Thy  testimonies  are  sure,  very  (sure)  ;  to  thy  house  suits  (or 
is  becoming)  holiness,  Jehovah,  unto  length  of  days.  The  testi- 
monies of  God  are  all  the  provisions  of  his  Law,  as  in  Ps.  xix.  8(7.) 
XXV.  10,  but  with  special  reference,  in  this  as  in  several  other 
cases,  to  its  promises.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  1.  Ixxx.  1.  The 
verb  here  used  is  a  passive,  meaning  strictly  to  be  founded,  set- 
tled, or  secured.  From  this  clause  is  borrowed  the  form  of  ex- 
pression in  Rev.  xix.  9.  xxi.  5.  xxii.  6.  The  intensive  adverb 
very  or  exceedingly  has  the  same  effect  as  when  in  English  we  use 
an  epithet  and  add  extremely  so  or  very  much  so.  The  verb  trans- 
lated suits  (or  is  becoming)  is  the  root  of  the  adjective  used  in  Ps 
xxxiii.  1.  Compare  my  note  on  Isai.  lii.  7.  Holiness  is  by  some 
understood  to  mean  sacredness,  immunity  from  profanation,  and 
of  course  from  violent  intrusion.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiv.  3. 
The  house  of  Grod  is  here  referred  to,  as  tl  e  place  where  he  dwelt 
with  his  people,  and  they  with  him.  To  length  of  days,  see  Ps. 
xxiii.  6 


PSALM   XCIV  317 


PSALJ^     XCIV. 

This  psalm  may  be  divided  into  two  parts,  in  the  first  of  whicli 
tLe  ancient  church  complains  of  Jehovah's  absence  and  apparent 
desertion,  and  of  the  consequent  triumph  of  his  enemies,  vs.  1 — 11, 
while  in  the  second  she  asks  and  confidently  looks  for  his  return 
and  their  destruction,  vs.  12 — 23.  There  is  nothing  to  determine 
the  precise  date  of  the  composition,  much  less  to  restrict  it  to  any 
particular  historical  occasion.  Though  some  things  in  it  seem 
peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  state  of  Judah  on  the  eve  of  the 
Babylonish  conquest,  it  is  so  constructed  as  to  be  a  vehicle  of 
pious  feeling  to  the  church  in  various  emergencies. 

1.  God  of  revenges^  Jehovah^  God  of  revenges^  shine  forth! 
Some  interpreters,  following  the  ancient  versions,  make  the  last 
Hebrew  word  a  finite  verb,  as  it  certainly  is  in  Deut.  xxxiii.  2. 
Ps.  1.  2.  Ixxx.  2  (1.)  The  meaning  then  is,  he  has  shined  or  shines^ 
and  the  psalm  opens  with  a  confident  anticipation  of  God's  inter- 
vention, as  in  Ps.  xciii.  1.  xcvii.  1.  xcix.  1.  In  this  case,  how- 
ever, the  tone  of  confidence  does  not  reappear  until  v.  12,  and 
the  imperatives  in  v.  2  make  the  similar  construction  of  the  verb 
in  this  case  much  more  natural,  though  less  agreeable  to  usage, 
than  the  other.  The  terms  of  this  verse  are  borrowed  from  Deut, 
xxxii.  35.  xxxiii.  2.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  2.  The  plural  forni 
(r*  venges)  denotes  fulness  and  variety.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii. 
51  (50.)  This  expression,  with  the  two  divine  names  (El  and 
Jehovah)    recognize    God    as    almighty,    eternal,   self-existent, 


318  PSALM   XCIV. 

bound   by  covenant  to  his   people,  and  alone    entitled  to  take 
vengeance. 

2.  Raise  thyself,  Judge  of  the  Earth,  return  a  recompense  upon 
the  proud.  The  first  verb  is  equivalent  in  meaning  to  the  more 
familiar  term  arise,  i.  e.  arouse  thyself  from  inactivity,  address 
thyself  to  action.  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  8  (7.)  The  specific- 
sense,  which  some  interpreters  assume,  '  ascend  the  judgment- 
seat,'  is  not  expressed  by  this  verb,  but  suggested  by  the  context. 
The  word  translated  recompense  strictly  means  the  treatment  of 
one  peison  by  another,  to  return  which  is  to  retaliate  or  recom- 
pense it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  5  (4),  and  compare  Ps.  Ixxix 
12.  The  use  of  the  particle  upon  implies  the  inequality  of  the 
parties  or  the  superiority  of  the  avenger,  from  whom  the  recom- 
pense, as  it  were,  comes  down  upon  the  guilty. 

3.  How  long  shall  wicked  {men),  Jehovah,  how  long  shall  loicked 
[men)  triumph  ?  The  question,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  implies 
that  they  have  already  triumphed  long  enough  or  too  long,  and 
therefore  really  involves  a  prayer  that  they  may  triumph  no 
longer.  The  interruption  and  resumption  of  the  sentence  is  like 
that  in  V.  1,  and  in  Ps.  xcii.  9  (8.)  xciii.  1,  3. 

4.  (How  long)  shall  they  pour  forth,  utter  insolence,  talk  of 
themselves — all  the  workers  of  iniquity  ?  This  is  usually  taken  as 
an  independent  proposition,  they  pour  forth,  etc.  But  it  seems  a 
more  natural  construction  to  continue  the  interrogation  from  tho 
other  sentence.  Pour  forth  is  a  figure  for  excessive  and  unad- 
vised speech.  See  above,  on  Ps.  lix.  8  (7),  and  com.pare  Ps. 
xix.  3  (2.)  Utter  in  words,  speak,  talk.  Insolence,  arrogance, 
as  in  Ps.  Ixxv.  6  (5.)  The  last  verb  is  a  reflexive  form  of  the 
verb  ("i?2S5)  to  say,  occurring  only  here.     According  to  the  gen- 

ral  analogy  of  those  forms,  it  may  mean  to  talk  to  one's  self,  or 


PSALM   XCIV.  319 

of  one's  self,  or  with  each  other.  The  second  agrees  best  with 
what  is  said  just  before  of  their  insolent  or  arrogant  discourse. 

5.  Thy  people,  Jehovah,  they  grind  (or  crush),  and  thy  inhtri- 
tance  they  humble  (or  affiid.)  The  first  verb  means  to  bruise, 
break  in  pieces,  or  reduce  to  powder.  The  people  and  heritage  of 
God  are  synonymous  expressions,  the  people  being  so  called  be- 
cause they  belonged  to  him,  and  were  possessed  by  him,  from 
generation  to  generation.  The  terms  of  this  verse  seem  to  point 
out  foreign  persecutors  or  oppressors  as  the  subject  of  complaint. 

6.  Widow  arid  stranger  tney  kill^  and  orphans  they  murder. 
The  strongest  description  of  injustice  and  violence  is  given  by 
saying,  that  they  not  only  wrong  but  murder  the  very  classes  of 
sufferers,  who  in  the  Law  are  constantly  exhibited  as  objects  of 
compassion.     See  Ex.  xxii.  20—23  (21—24.)  Deut.  x.  18. 

7.  And  they  say,  Jah  will  not  see,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  will  not 
attend.  The  same  impious  presumption  is  expressed  in  Ps.  x. 
11,  13.  xiv.  1.  lix.  8  (7.)  The  divine  names  are,  as  usual,  sig- 
nificant. That  the  self-existeni  and  eternal  God  should  not  see, 
is  a  palpable  absurdity  ;  and  scarcely  less  so,  that  the  God  of 
Israel  should  suffer  his  own  people  to  be  slaughtered  without  even 
observing  it.      The  last  verb  means  to  mark,  note,  notice. 

8.  Attend  ye  brutish  among  the  people  ;  and  ye  fools,  when  will 
ye  act  wisely?  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii.  22.  xcii.  7  (6.)  The 
first  verb  is  the  same  with  that  at  the  end  of  the  preceding  verse 
It  is  stronger  than  the  English  word  attend,  implying  in  all  cases. 
an  intelligent  attention,  so  that  it  may  be  rendered,  as  it  is  by 
many,  understand.     The  word  translated  brutish  is  a  participle, 

denoting  habitual  conduct  or  a  permanent  condition.  The  ques- 
tion in  the  last  clause  is  a  virtual  exhortation  to  begin  at  once. 
The  verb  in  this  clause  has  its  usual  active  meaning,    feee  above 


320  PSALM    XCIV 

on  Ps.  ii.  10.  xiv.  2.  xli.  2  (1.)  In  (or  among)  the  people  no 
doubt  means  in  Israel  itself,  as  in  Judg.  v.  9,  where  the  form  of 
expression  is  the  same. 

9.,  Shall  the  planter  of  the  ear — shall  he  not  hear?  Or  the 
former  of  the  eye,  shall  he  not  see?  The  words  translated jp/aw^er 
and  former  are  active  participles,  and  denote  something  con- 
tinually going  on.  The  figure  of  planting  suggests  the  two  ideas 
of  formation  and  insertion.  By  a  similar  figure  we  might  speak 
in  English  of  implantwg  the  faculty  or  sense  of  hearing.  The 
act  denoted  by  the  parallel  Hebrew  word  is  that  of  shaping, 
moulding.  The  participle  here  used,  when  employed  as  a  noun, 
means  a  jpo^^er.  See  above,  Ps.  ii.  9.  The  peculiar  form  of  the 
translation  of  the  first  clause  is  intended  to  represent  that  of  the 
original,  in  which  the  interrogative  but  not  the  negative  particle 
is  repeated.  This  may  be  reckoned  as  another  instance  of  the 
reduplicated  forms  by  which  this  series  of  psalms  is  characterized. 

10.  Shall  the  reprover  of  nations — shall  he  not  chastise — he  that 
teaches  mankind  knowledge?  The  antithesis  is  not  between  Israel 
and  the  Gentiles,  but  between  whole  nations  or  all  mankind  and 
individual  ofienders.  Reprover^  the  one  reproving  or  accustomed 
to  reprove,  warn,  or  admonish.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  10.  xvi.  7. 
The  parallel  term  is  nearly  synonymous  and  means  to  correct  by 
word  or  deed.  The  structure  of  the  first  clause  is  the  same  as  in 
the  verse  preceding.  In  the  last  clause,  by  an  aposiopesis  not  un- 
common in  the  Hebrew  idiom,  the  parallelism  is  left  to  be  com- 
pleted by  the  reader.  The  full  sense  seems  to  ie,  is  he  who 
teaches  all  mankind  not  competent  to  teach  men  individually  .'' 
He  that  teaches^  literally,  the  {one)  teaching. 

11.  Jehovah  knows  the  thoughts  of  mankind^  that  they  {are) 
vanity.  The  verbal  form  is  still  that  of  a  participle,  knoioing^ 
habitually  knowing,  what  they  are  and  what  they  deserve.     Such 


PSALM    XCrV.  321 

knowledge  carries  with  it,  as  a  necessary  consequence.^  condem- 
nation and  punishment.  See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  6.  Thoughts^  pur- 
poses, designs.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  5  (4.)  Instead  of  that^ 
8ome  give  the  particle  its  usual  sense  of  for,  because,  without  a 
material  change  of  meaning.  The  pronoun  they  seems  in  English 
to  relate  necessarily  to  thoughts  ;  but  in  Hebrew  the  more  natural 
antecedent  is  vian  as  a  generic  or  collective  term,  because  tho 
pronoun  is  masculine  and  thoughts  feminine  ;  because  the  same 
thing  is  predicated,  in  the  same  form,  of  men  themselves,  Ps. 
xxxix.  6,  12  (5,  ]  1)  ;  and  because  this  idea  is  better  suited  to 
the  context  here. 

12.  Happy  the  man  whom  thou  warnest,  Jah,  and  from  thy  law 
teachest  him.  This  is  the  turning  point,  at  which  the  tone  of  the 
composition  becomes  more  encouraging.  The  word  for  man  is 
the  one  implying  strength,  and  here  suggesting  the  idea,  that  he 
is  truly  fortunate  whose  strength  arises  from  the  divine  counsel 
and  control.  Warnest  and  wilt  warn,  or  admonish,  the  same 
verb  that  occurs  in  the  first  clause  of  v.  10.  From  thy  law  may  be 
partitively  understood,  as  meaning  something  of  thy  law,  a  part  or 
portion  of  it.  But  it  more  probably  means  out  of  ,  from,  thy  law, 
as  the  source  of  consolation  and  instruction.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxii.  26  (25.) 

13.  To  give  him  rest  from  days  of  evil,  until  a  pit  he  digged 
for  the  wicked.  Compare  Ps.  xlix.  6  (5.)  cxii.  8.  The  first 
verb  is  a  causative,  to  make  him  rest.  From  days  of  evil  does  not 
mean  merely  after  them,  but  so  as  to  escape  them.  The  last 
clause  ensures  the  safety  of  the  righteous  even  during  the  pros- 
perity and  triumph  of  the  wicked. 

14.  For  Jehovah  icill  not  forsakt  his  people,  and  his  inheritance 
he  will  not  leave.  The  reason  why  they  are  happy  who  confide  in 
and  obey  the  divine  instructions  is  that  God  can  never  utterly  for- 

14* 


322  PSALM    XCIV 

sake  tliose  who  thus  trust  hhu,  although  he  may  leave  them  for  a 
time  when  they  leave  him.  See  Deut.  xxxii.  15.  Judg.  vi.  13. 
Isai,  ii.  6. 

15.  For  unto  righteousness  shall  judgment  turn^  and  after  it 
(shall  go)  all  the  upright  in  heart.  The  apparent  disturbance  of 
the  divine  administration  is  to  cease,  and  justice  to  return  to  its 
accustomed  channels.  In  the  last  clause  the  righteous  are  de- 
scribed as  following  in  its  train  or  attending  its  triumphal  march, 

16.  Who  will  arise  for  me  with  evil-doers  1  Who  ivill  stand  up 
for  me  with  workers  of  iniquity  1  Arise,  address  himself  to  ac- 
tion. See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  8  (7.)  For  me,  for  my  support  in 
my  defence.  With,  in  conflict  or  contention  with.  Stand  up, 
take  a  stand,  assume  a  position.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  2.  Evil- 
doers, as  in  Ps.  xcii.  12  (11.)  Workers  of  iniquity,  as  in  v.  4 
above.  The  interrogation  in  this  verse  prepares  the  way  for  the 
expression  of  confidence  in  that  which  follows. 

17.  Unless  Jehovah  (^vere)  a  help  for  me,  soon  would  my  soul 
inhabit  silence.  The  phrase  a  help  for  me  occurs  above,  Ps. 
Ixiii.  8  (7),  and  a  similar  one,  Ps.  xliv.  27  {26.)  For  the  mean- 
ing of  the  phrase  translated  soon,  see  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  12.  Ixxxi. 
15  (14.)  To  dwell  in  (or  inhabit)  silence  is  to  be  constantly  sur- 
rounded by  the  silence  of  the  grave  or  of  death.  See  above,  Ps. 
xxxi.  18  (17),  and  below,  Ps.  cxv.  17. 

18.  If  I  say.  My  foot  slips,  thy  mercy,  oh  Jehovah,  holds  me  up. 
If  at  any  time  my  hope  of  safety  from  the  Lord's  protection  yields 
to  fear,  his  grace  sustains  and  reinvigorates  it.  The  preterites 
in  the  Hebrew  of  the  first  clause  imply  that  such  lapses  or  temp- 
tations have  occurred  iu  his  experience,  when  his  foot  seemed  to 
have  swerved  or  slipped  already  ;  while   the  future  at  iha  clos*? 


PSALM   XCIV.  323 

represents  tlie  act  of  sustentation  as  one  which  he  expects  to  be 
continued  or  renewed  hereafter. 


19.  In  the  muUilude  of  my  cares;  within  we,  thy  comforts  chcci 
my  soul.  The  second  noun,  which  is  of  rare  occurrence,  does  not 
mean  thoughts  in  general,  but  uneasy,  anxious  thoughts,  solici- 
tudes, or  cares.  The  addition  of  within  me  renders  still  more 
prominent  the  idea  that  it  was  not  mere  external  troubles  that  dis- 
turbed his  peace.  Thy  comforts.,  the  consolations  of  thy  word. 
See  above,  on  v.  13.  Cheer  or  shall  cheer.,  gladden,  or  exhilarate 
My  soul  not  only  completes  the  parallelism,  but  suggests  the  idea 
of  a  cordial  genuine  exhilaration.     See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.) 

20.  Shall  the  throne  of  iniquity  have  fellowship  with  thee.,  which 
frameth  mischief  by  a  law.  This,  which  is  the  version  in  the 
English  Bible,  yields  a  good  sense,  and  the  one  preferred  by  some 
of  the  best  interpreters.  Others  explain  the  last  cla,use,  frami^ig 
mischief  against  law.  In  either  case,  framing  means  contriving, 
plotting.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  a 
passive  form,  shall  it  be  associated  or  allied  {with)  thee,  the  con- 
nective particle  being  omitted  by  a  common  poetic  license,  for 
another  instance  of  which  see  above,  Ps.  v.  5  (4.)  Others  ex- 
plain it  as  an  active  verb  corresponding  with  the  dubious  Eng- 
lish verb  to  fellowship  a  person.  Iniquity ,  or  more  exactly,  criraes. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  10  (9.;  xxxviii.  13  (12.)  Iii.  4,  9  (2,  7.) 
Iv.  12  (11.)  Ivii.  2(1.)  xci.  3.  Both  this  word  and  its  parallel 
translated  mischief  are  applied  in  usage  to  the  sufferings  brought 
upon  one  person  by  the  misconduct  of  another.  With  respect  to 
the  second  term  (b^5),  see  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  17  (16.) 

21.  They  crotod  upon  the  soul  of  the  righteouSj  and  innocent, 
blood  they  condemn.  The  first  verb  means  to  rush  in  crowds  o!' 
troops,  and  may  therefore  be  expressed  in  English  by  the  verbs, 
to  crowd  J  to  troo^.    Condemn  ^  literally,  make  guilty,  i    i.  recogniz.' 


324  PSALM    XCIV. 

and  treat  as  such.     The  futures,  as  usual,  suggest  the  probable 
continuance  of  the  evil  in  question. 

22.  A7id  (jet)  Jehovah  has  been  to  me  for  a  high-place,  and  my 
God  for  the  rock  of  my  refuge.  Our  idiom  would  require  but  at 
the  beginning  of  this  sentence.  The  verb  to  be  followed  by  for, 
is  sometimes  used  in  Hebrew  to  express  the  meaning  of  our  verb 
become,  which  may  here  be  considered  as  at  least  included.     A 

'iigh-place,  beyond  the  reach  of  danger.  My  rock  of  refuge^  the 
rock  where  I  take  refuge  from  my  enemies.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
ix.  10  (9.)  xviii.  3  (2.)  xlvi.  8,  12  f7,  11.)  xlviii.  4  (3.)  lix.  10, 
18  (9,  17  ) 

23.  And  he  returns  upon  them  their  iniquity,  and  in  their  wicked'^ 
ness  he  will  destroy  them,  (yes)  destroy  them  will  Jehovah  our  God. 
The  first  verb  denotes  retaliation  or  requital.  The  preposition 
upon  suggests  the  idea  of  infliction  by  a  superior  power.  In^ 
iquity  expresses  their  misconduct  towards  others,  wickedness  the 
general  depravity  which  prompted  it.  In  their  wickedness,  i.  e.  in 
the  midst  of  it,  and  by  implication  on  account  of  it.  The  verb 
destroy  is  the  one  used  in  Ps.  liv.  7  (o.)  Ixix.  5  (4.)  ci.  5.  The 
repetition  of  the  last  verb  with  its  object  is  like  that  in  Ps.  xc.  17. 
Compare  Ps.  xcii.  8  (7.)  xciii.  4.  xciv.  1.  The  force  of  this 
emphatic  repetition  may  be  partially  secured  in  English  ty  a  par- 
ticle of  affirmation,  yea  or  yes. 


\ 


PSALM    XCV  323 


PSALM    XCV. 

This  psalm  contains,  first,  an  exhortation  froui  the  Psalmist  U) 
praise  Grod  as  the  creator  and  the  sovereign  of  the  earth,  vs.  1 — 8, 
and  then,  a  warnins:  from  God  himself  to  his  people  not  to  imitate 
the  obstinate  unbelief  of  their  fathers  in  the  wilderness,  vs.  9 — 1 ' . 
The  psalm  is  quoted  in  the  New  Testament  (Heb.  iv.  7)  as  wha* 
God  said  in  David,  which  may  either  mean  the  Book  of  Psalm?:, 
so  called  from  its  chief  author, pr  this  particular  psalm,  as  actually 
written  by  him.  The  latter  supposition,  although  not  necessary, 
is  entirely  admissible,  because,  however  suitable  the  psalm  may 
seem  to  particular  junctures  long  posterior  to  David,  the  very 
generality  of  its  expressions  makes  it  probable  that  it  was  not 
composed  in  the  midst  of  the  events,  but  long  beforehand. 

1.  Come,  let  us  sing  unto  Jehovah,  let  us  shout  unto  the  rock  of 
our  salvation.  The  first  verb  properly  means  go,  but  is  constantly 
used  like  come  in  other  languages,  as  a  formula  of  invitation,  in 
summoning  others  to  participate  in  some  act  of  the  speaker.  The 
two  verbs  in  this  verse  are  those  commonly  applied  to  the  vocal 
expression  of  joy  and  triumph.  The  rock  of  our  salvation,  the 
strong  ground  of  our  confidence,  the  basis  upon  which  our  hope 
of  safety  rests.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2j,  and  compare  Ps 
Ixii.  8  (7.)  xcii.  16  (15.)  xciv.  22. 

2.  Let  us  come  hefore  his  face  with  thanksgiving,  and  in  sdngs 
Id  us  shout  unto  kirn.  The  first  verb  is  here  used  in  its  primary 
and  proper  sense.      See  above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  13.     That  of  sur- 


320  PSALM  XCV. 

prising,  or  taking  by  surprise,  upon  which  some  interpreters  iii« 
sist,  is  neither  intelligible  in  itself,  nor  suited  to  the  context,  nor 
justified  by  usage.  To  shout  in  s^ongs  is  to  sing  aloud  and  with 
a  voice  of  triumph. 

3.  For  a  great  God  {is)  Jehovah^  and  a  great  King  above  ail 
gods.  This  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  doctrine  elsewhere  taught, 
that  other  gods  have  no  real  existence.  See  below,  Ps.  xcv.i. 
4,  5,  where  both  truths  are  asserted  together.  The  very  name 
of  God  used  in  the  first  clause  is  expressive  of  omnipotence. 

4.  In  whose  hand  are  the  depths  of  the  earth  and  the  strength  of 
.he  hills  (belongs)  to  him.  God's  possession  of  the  whole  earth  is 
toO  asserted  as  to  leave  no  room  for  other  gods.  The  word  trans- 
lated depths  means,  according  to  its  etymology,  places  to  be 
searched  into,  i.  e.  requiring  search  to  find  them,  inmost  recesses. 
The  word  translated  strength  is  plural  in  Hebrew,  and  seems 
properly  to  mean  fatiguing  exertions,  from  which  some  derive  the 
idea  of  strength,  others  that  of  extreme  height,  which  can  only 
be  reached  by  exhausting  effort. 

5.  To  whom  (belongs)  the  sea.,  and  he  made  it.,  and  the  dry  land 
his  hands  did  form.  The  land  and  water  are  here  put  together, 
as  the  depths  and  heights  are  in  v.  4,  to  describe  the  earth  in  its 
whole  extent  as  subject  to  Jehovah,  by  virtue  of  his  rio-ht  as 
its  creator. 

6.  Come,  let  us  how  down  and  bend,  let  us  kneel  before  Jehovah 
our  Maker.  The  come  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse  is  not  a  mere 
particle  of  exhortation,  as  in  v.  1,  but  an  invitation  to  God's 
presence.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  one  that  strictly  means  to  come, 
and  sometimes  to  enter.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxi.  16.  This  vorscj 
requires  the  external  indication  of  devout  emotion,  and  not  the 


PSALM  XCV.  327 

mere  internal  feeling,  although  the  latter  is  the  most  essential,  as 
appears  from  what  follows. 

7.  For  H&  (is)  our  God^  and  wc  {are)  the  peojple  of  his  pasture^ 
and  the  sheep  of  his  hand,  to-day^  if  to  his  voice  ye  will  hearUn. 
Tbe  people  of  his  pasture  are  those  fed  and  nurtured  by  him. 
The  sheep  of  his  hand  are  those  led  and  guarded  bj  him.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxiii.  3,  4.  Ixxiv.  1.  Ixxx.  13  (12.)  We  not  only 
have  been  so,  but  are  so  now,  to-day^  provided  v/e  obey  him 
The  last  clause  contains  the  condition  of  the  first,  precisely  as  in 
Ps.  Ixxxi.  9  (8.)  In  both  cases  this  construction  is  more  natural 
and  satisfactory  than  either  of  the  others  among  which  interpre- 
ters have  been  divided  ;  some  making  if  an  optative  particle, 
'if  ye  would  only  hear  !' — some  supplying  an  apodosis,  as  in  Ex. 
xxiii.  21,  22,  to  which  there  seems  to  be  an  obvious  allusion  ; — some 
continuing  the  sentence  into  the  next  verse,  which  is  forbidden  by 
the  change  of  person  there.  This  last  construction  is  adopted  in 
the  Septuagint,  as  quoted  in  Heb.  iii.  9  ;  but  this  decides  no- 
thing as  to  the  Hebrew  syntax.  To  hear  (or  hearken  to)  God's 
voice  is  a  common  Hebrew  phrase  for  obeying  his  commands. 

8.  Harden  not  your  heart  like  Merihah^  like  the  day  of  Massah 
in  the  wilderness.  Be  not  wilfully  and  obstinately  insensible. 
Your  heart,  in  the  singular  number,  because  the  people  are  ad- 
dressed as  an  ideal  person.  Like  Mcribah,  i.  e.  as  your  fathers 
did  at  Meribah.  Like  the  day  of  Massah,  as  they  did  at  that 
period  of  your  national  history  associated  with  the  name  of 
Massah,  The  reference  is  to  Ex.  xvii.  7.  The  incident  there  re- 
corded is  here  specified,  for  the  sake  of  the  significant  names  given 
t'j  the  place,  Meribah  (strife)  and  Massah  (temptation.)  God 
himself  is  here  abruptly  introduced  as  speaking.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xlvi.  11  (10.)  Ixxv.  3,  4  (2,  3.)  Ixxxvii.  4.  xci.  14. 

9    When  (or  where)  your  fathers   tempted  me;  they  proved  mt 


328  PSALM  XCV. 

(and)  also  saw  my  work.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  tlie  rela^ 
tive  pronoun,  which  for  in  which^  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  4  (3.)  Thia 
may  either  mean  in  which  place  (where),  or  at  which  time  (when), 
more  probably  the  former,  as  the  preceding  verse  is  full  of  local 
tiouns.  Tcnijjted  mc,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  IS,  41.  Proved 
fwe,  put  me  to  the  proof  of  my  existence,  presence,  and  power, 
by  requiring  me  to  work,  i.  e.  to  act  in  an  extraordinary  manner. 
And  this  desire,  unreasonable  as  it  was,  I  gratified.  They  nr.t 
only  demanded  but  they  likewise  (tB^i  saw  my  loork^  i.  e.  what  I 
could  do.  Some  restrict  these  last  words  to  the  previous  dis- 
plays of  God's  almighty  power,  especially  the  plagues  of  Egypt. 
'  They  proved  me,  or  put  me  to  the  proof,  although  they  had  seen 
my  work.'  But  neither  the  sense  thus  put  upon  the  likewise,  noi 
the  pluperfect  meaning  of  the  verb,  should  be  assumed  without  a 
greater  necessity  than  here  exists. 

10.  Forty  years  I  am  vexed  with  a  (wicked)  generation,  and 
say,  A  people  of  watulerers  in  heart  {are)  they,  and  they  do  not 
know  ivy  ways.  The  first  verb  strictly  means  to  be  sick  of,  or 
disgusted  with,  a  thing  or  person.  The  future  form  expresses 
more  distinctly  the  idea  of  protracted  trial  and  annoyance.  A 
generation,  or  contemporary  race,  as  distinguished  from  mere 
individuals.  This  expression  is  the  more  appropriate  because 
the  threatening  was  fulfilled,  with  scarcely  an  exception,  in  the 
whole  generation  that  came  out  of  Egypt.  The  qualifying  epi- 
thet supplied  in  the  translation  is  derived  from  Deut.  1.  35 
(compare  Deut.  ii.  14.)  I  say  or  said,  i.  e.  I  had  occasion  or 
good  cause  to  say,  I  could  have  said  with  truth,  or  I  was  com- 
pelled to  say.  The  next  clause  contains  an  allusion  to  their  two- 
fold wandering  or  error.  They  were  not  only  wanderers  in  body 
but  in  heart,  i.  e.  they  erred  from  the  path  of  duty,  truth,  and 
safety.  This  allusion  seems  to  be  continued  in  the  last  clause. 
Thoy  were  not  more  bewildered  in  the  mazes  of  the  trackless 
waste,  than  ignorant  of  God's  ways,  i.  e   of  the  meaning  and  de* 


PSALM    XCV.  3«   ) 

sign  of  his  providential  dealings   with  them.     Compare   Dev.A 
rxix.  3. 

11,  Unto  whom  I  sic  en- e  in  my  icraili^  If  they  shall  come  iiito 
my  rest  (or  resting-place.)  Here  again  the  first  word  is  a  relative 
pronoun,  and  may  either  be  a  dative,  as  in  the  common  veision  of 
the  first  clause  above  given  ;  or  an  adverb  of  time  or  place  [when 
or  u-here)  as  in  v.  9  above ;  or  a  conjunction  (so  that)  as  the  latest 
interpreters  prefer.  The  conditional  clause,  with  which  the 
sentence  closes,  is  the  strongest  form  of  negation,  being  that  em- 
ployed in  the  most  solemn  oaths.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix. 
36  (35.)  It  is  here  equivalent  to  saying,  they  shall  not  come,  etc. 
The  form  of  speech  is  that  actually  used  in  the  original  threat- 
ening, as  recorded  by  Moses,  Num.  xiv.  23,  30.  Deut  i.  35, 
The  word  for  rest  is  not  an  abstract  but  a  local  term  as  indicated 
by  its  form.  It  is  here  applied  to  the  Promised  Land,  as  in  Deut. 
xii,  9.  There  is  something  unusual  and  abrupt  in  the  conclusion 
of  this  psalm,  without  any  cheering  prospect  to  relieve  thc- 
fchreatening.  This  may  be  best  explained  by  assuming,  that  it 
was  not  meant  to  stand  alone,  but  to  form  one  of  a  series 


PSALM    XCVI. 

A  JOYOUS  celebration  of  the  universnl  spread  of  the  true  reli- 
gion and  conversion  of  the  Gentiles.  The  structure  of  the  psalm 
is  perfectly  simple,  and  all  attempts  at  artificial  subdivision  and 
arrangement  are  either  wholly  arbitrary  or  founded  upon  dubious 
hypotheses.     The   marked  resemblance  of  the  diction  to  that  of 


^30  PSALM   XCVl. 

IsaiaV  in  his  later  prophecies,  has  been  thought  to  fix  the  date  of  the 
composition  as  posterior  to  that  Prophet.  This  seems  indeed  to  be 
forbidden  by  the  fact  that  in  1  Chr.  xvi,  as  commonly  interpreted, 
this  psalm,  with  portions  of  others,  is  said  to  have  been  sung  at 
the  dedication  of  the  tabernacle  on  Mount  Zion  in  the  time  of 
David.  But  according  to  Hengstenberg,  the  true  sense  of  that 
passage  is,  that  David  instituted  the  musical  service  of  the  sanc- 
tuary, of  which  samples  are  then  given,  taken  not  from  the  most 
ancient  psalms,  but  from  those  most  familiar  to  the  people  when 
the  history  was  written.  See  below,  the  prefatory  note  to  Ps.  cv 
and  cvi.  The  psalm  before  us  seems  to  form  a  pair  or  double 
psalm  with  that  preceding,  the  Jews  and  Grentiles  being  then 
successively  addressed,  as  in  Isai.  ii.  3 — 5,  but  in  an  inverted  order. 

1.  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  song  ;  sing  unto  Jehovah  all  the 
mrth.  A  new  song  implies  fresh  occasion  to  praise  God,  net 
for  the  mere  repetition  of  his  former  favours,  but  for  some  new 
dispensation  of  his  grace.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiii.  3.  xl.  3  (2.) 
The  one  here  meant  is  the  extension  of  his  favour  to  the  nations, 
who  are  therefore  summoned  in  the  last  clause  to  celebrate  his 
praise  themselves.     Compare  Isai.  xlii.  10.  Rev.  v.  9,  10. 

2.  Sing  unto  Jehovah^  hlcss  his  name,  proclaim  from  day  to  day 
his  salvation.  To  bless  his  name  is  to  praise  him  for  the  mani- 
festation of  his  attributes.  The  verb  translated  proclaim  is  con- 
stantly applied  to  joyful  tidings.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  10  (9.) 
Ixviii.  12  (11),  and  compare  Isai.  Ix.  9.  lii.  7.  Ix.  6.  The  phrase 
•from  day  to  day  implies  that  the  occasion  of  the  praise  required 
is  not  a  transient  one  but  permanent  and  perpetual.  His  salva- 
twn,  that  which  he  has  wrought,  provided,  and  revealed,  not  for 
the  Jews  only  but  for  the  Gentiles  also.  With  this  and  the  pre- 
cciing  verse  compare  1  Chr.  xvi.  23. 

3.  Recount  among  the  nations  his  glory ,  among  all  the  peoples  kis 


PSALM   XCVI.  331 

wondet  s.  The  i  Be  of  glory ^  to  denote  the  special' manifestation 
of  God's  attributes,  is  a  characteristic  feature  of  Isaiah's  later  pro- 
phecies. To  preclude  all  doubt  as  to  the  extent  of  the  invitation, 
the  ambiguous  expression  all  the  earthy  in  v.  1,  is  here  explained 
to  mean  the  notions^  and  then  still  more  absolutely  all  the  peoples. 
The  only  variation  of  the  parallel  passage  (1  Chr.  xvi.  24)  is  the 
insertion  of  the  objective  particle  (r,^)  in  the  first  clause. 

4.  For  great  (is)  Jehovah  and  to  he  praised  exceedingly  ;  to  he 
feared  (is)  He  ahove  all  Gods.  He  is  not  a  mere  local  deity,  as 
the  heathen  were  disposed  to  imagine,  even  in  reference  to  their 
own  divinities.  With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  xlvii.  3  (2.)  xlviii 
2  (1.)  Ixxvii.  14  (13.)  Ixsxvi.  8.  xcv.  3.  xcvii.  8.  xcix.  2. 

5.  For  all  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  nothings.,  and  .Jehovah 
the  heavens  did  viake.  Nothings.,  nonentities,  a  favourite  descrip- 
tion of  idols  in  Isaiah's  later  prophecies.  See  e.  g.  Isai.  xli.  24, 
and  compare  Lev.  xix.  4.  xxvi.  1.  1  Cor.  viii.  4 — 6.  x.  19.  A 
less  probable  etymology  of  the  Hebrew  word  makes  it  a  diminu- 
tive of  (!:k)  £■/,  analogous  to  godlings  as  an  expression  of  contempt. 
The  contrast  intended  is  extreme  and  absolute.  He  called  the 
world  into  existence  ;  they  do  not  even  exist  themselves.  See 
above,  Ps.  xcv.  4. 

6.  Honour  and  majesty  'are)  hefore  him,  strength  and  hcauty 
in  his  holy-place.  The  firsv  combination  •occurs  above,  Ps.  xlv. 
4  (3.)  Before  him.,  as  his  constant  attendants  or  forerunners. 
Beauty,  all  that  is  lovely  and  admirable.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxi.  8.  His  holy  place,  his  earthly  residence,  regarded  as  a 
radiating  centre  even  to  the  Gentiles  ;  or  the  place  where  God 
reveals  himself,  whatever  it  may  be. 

7.  Give  to  Jehovah,  ye  families  of  nations,  give  to  Jehovah  glo-ry 
and  strength.     Compare  Ps.  xxix.  1.     Here,  as  there,  to  give  is 


332  PSALM   XCVl 

to  ascribe  or  recognize  as  belonging  to  him.  The  expression 
families  of  nations  is  Mosaic.  See  Gen.  xii.  3.  The  parallel  pas- 
sage (1  Chr   xvi.  27)  has,  strmg*,h  ard  joy  (are)  in  his  place. 

8.  Give  unto  Jehovah  the  glory  of  his  name;  take  an  offering 
and  come  to  his  courts.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xxix 
2.  The  verb  translated  take  includes  the  ideas  of  taking  up  and 
carrying.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  30  (29.)  Ixxii.  10.  Ixxvi.  12, 
and  compare  2  Sam.  viii.  2.  The  word  offering  is  the  one  used 
to  denote  the  bloodless  or  vegetable  oblation  of  the  Mosaic  ritual. 
His  courts.^  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  5  (4.)  Ixxxiv.  3  (2.)  xcii.  14  (13.) 
The  parallel  passage  (1  Chr.  xvi.  29)  has  before  him. 

9.  Bow  down  to  Jehovah  in  beauty  of  holiness ;  tremMe  before 
(timy  all  the  earth  !  The  first  verb  denotes  the  act  of  bowing  to 
the  ground,  as  practised  in  the  East.  For  the  meaning  of  the 
next  phrase,  beauty  of  holiness.,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  2,  from 
which  place  it  is  borrowed  here.  The  last  clause  enjoins  the 
reverential  awe  due  to  the  exhibition  of  the  divine  majesty.  Com- 
pare Ps.  ii.  11.  The  plural  form  of  the  verb  {tremble  ye)  shows 
that  the  earth  is  put  for  its  inhabitants.  Before  him^  literally, 
from  his  face.  The  parallel  passage  (1  Chr.  xvi.  30)  has  a  double 
preposition,  a  Hebrew  idiom  which  cannot  be  reproduced  in  Eng- 
lish, and  which  does  not  in  the  least  affect  the  sense.  We  also 
find  there  added  to  the  verse  before  us  the  middle  clause  or  mem- 
ber of  the  next  verse.  • 

.  10.  Say  ye  among  the  n/xtions,  Jehovah  reigns  ;  likewise  fixed 
is  the  world,  it  shall  not  be  moved  ;  He  will  judge  the  peoples  in 
reditude.  The  object  of  address  can  only  be  the  nations  them- 
selves, as  in  the  foregoing  context.  They  are  therefore  summoned 
to  announce  the  joyful  news  to-  one  another.  Jehovah  reigns,  has 
begun  to  (eign,  i.  e.  visibly  See  above,  on  Ps.  xciii  1,  and  com- 
pare Is^u.  xxiv.  23.  Hi.  7.     As  in  Ps.  xciii.  1,  the   conservation 


PSALM   XCVI.  333 

of  the  world  is  ascribed  to  God's  power,  so  here  to  his  justice. 
Compare  Ps.  Ixxv  4  (3.)  He  will  judge  the  nations  :  see  above, 
on  Ps.  vii.  9  (8.)  Ixxii.  2,  4,  and  compare  Isai.  xi.  4.  In  equities^ 
see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxv.  3  (2.)  It  may  here  mean  impartinlilqj^ 
without  distinction  between  Jew  and  Gentile.  This  last  clause 
is  omitted  in  the  parallel  passage  (1  Chr  xvi.  31)  which  also 
has  instead  of  say  z/g,  tkey  shall  say^  and  joins  it  to  what  is  here 
the  next  verse. 

1 1 .  Let  the  heavens  rejoice  and  the  earth  exult  ;  let  the  sea  roar 
and  its  fulness.  The  optative  form  of  the  second  verb  deter- 
mines the  meaning  of  the  other  futures,  which,  however,  really 
include  a  prediction  or,  what  here  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  a 
confident  anticipation.  Its  fulness,  that  which  fills  it,  its  contents. 
This  verse  does  not  necessarily  imply  a  participation  of  inferior 
creatures  in  God's  favour  to  his  people  (Rom.  viii.  21),  but 
may  be  understood  as  a  strong  poetical  description  of  events  so 
joyous  that  even  the  inanimate  creation  breaks  forth  into  singing. 
Compare  Isai.  xliv.  23.  Iv.  12.  The  verb  translated  roar  is  a 
coiruate  form  of  that  which  means  to  thunder.  Ps.  xxix.  3. 

12.  Let  the  field  exult  and  all  that  (is)  in  it ;  then  shall  sing 
for  joy  all  the  trees  of  the  wood  (or  forest.)  The  strict  sense 
of  the  future,  which  was  latent  in  the  preceding  verse,  here,  by  a 
beautiful  transition,  reasserts  itself.  See  below,  on  Ps.  cxxvi.  2, 
and  compare  Isai.  xxxv.  5,  6.  The  field  is  the  cultivated  and 
productive  portion  of  the  earth.  All  that  is  in  it,  with  particular 
reference  to  its  productions.  Sing  for  joy  is  the  translation  of  a 
Bino-le  verb  in  Hebrew.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xcv.  1.  The  paral- 
lei  passage  (1  Chr.  xvi.  32,  33)  has  precisely  the  same  sense, 
but  with  two  slight  variations  in  the  words,  a  less  familiar  form 
beinir  substituted  in  one  case,  and  a  more  familiar  form  in  tlie 
other 


334  PSALM    XCVn. 

13.  Before  Jehovah^  for  he  cometh^  for  he  cometh  to  judge  tht 
earth ;  he  shall  judge  the  world  in  righteousness^  and  nations  in 
his  truth  (or  faithfulness.)  The  rejoicing  described  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse  is  to  take  place  in  the  presence  (literally,  to  the 
face)  of  God  when  he  assumes  his  universal  sovereignty,  the  ju- 
dicial function  of  which  is  here  made  prominent,  in  order  to  sug- 
gest the  moral  perfection  of  his  reign.  In  righteousness.,  not 
merely  in  a  righteous  manner,  but  in  the  exercise  of  his  inherent 
and  essential  justice.  The  use  of  the  word  people.,  in  the  com- 
mon version  of  the  last  clause,  obscures  the  sense,  by  seeming  to 
apply  the  verse  to  Israel,  whereas  it  is  expressly  applied  in  the 
original  to  the  nations  generally.  Even  the  truth  or  faithfulness 
of  God,  which  commonly  denotes  his  veracity  in  fulfilling  his 
promises  to  the  chosen  people,  has  here  a  wider  sense,  as  opposed 
to  the  dishonesty  or  partiality  of  human  judges.  In  the  parallel 
passage  (1  Chron.  xvi.  33)  the  emphatic  repetition  in  the  first 
clause,  and  the  whole  of  the  last  clause,  are  omitted,  perhaps  be- 
cause so  striking  and  sonorous  a  conclusion  would  not  have  been 
appropriate,  when  another  psalm  was  to  be  added. 


PSALM     XCVII. 

Another  exhibition  of  Jehovah's  universal  sovereignty,  in  which 
his  judicial  functions  are  again  made  prominent,  but  with  special 
reference  to  the  condemnation  and  destruction  of  the  unbelievinar 

o 

nations.      The  structure  of  the  psalm  is   remarkably  like  that  of 
the  second,  consisting  of  four  stanzas  of  three  verses  each.     The 
first  describes  the  Lord's  appearing  as  the  Judge  of  the  Nations, 
vs.  1 — 3.     The  second,  its  efiects  upon  inanimate  creation,  vs 
4 — 6.    The  third,  its  effects  upon  idolaters  and  Israel  respectively 


PSALM    XCVIl. 

vs.  7 — 9.  The  fourth  applies  it  as  a  present  warning  and  en- 
couragement to  true  believers,  vs.  10 — 12.  The  characteristic 
feature  of  the  psalm  is  its  frequent  citation  of  older  scriptures, 
all  anterior  to  the  Babylonish  exile,  from  which  Hengstenberg 
infers,  not  only  the  date  of  this  composition,  but  the  fact  that  all 
the  sacred  writings  of  the  ancient  Hebrews  are  now  extant  in  the 
Bible. 

\.  Jehovah  reigneth,  let  the  earth  exult;  glad  be  the  many 
islands !  For  the  meaning  of  the  first  clause,  see  above,  on  Ps. 
xciii.  1.  xcvi.  10;  for  that  of  the  second,  on  Ps.  xcvi.  11.  The 
manifestation  of  the  divine  royalty  is  often  represented  as  a  cause 
for  universal  joy,  even  when  attended  by  direct  advantage  only 
to  the  chosen  people,  and  by  fearful  judgments  to  mankind  at 
large.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  50  (49.)  xlvii.  2  (1),  and  com- 
pare Deut.  xxxii.  43.  The  last  clause  bears  a  strong  resemblance 
to  Isai.  xlii.  10,  12,  the  use  of  the  word  isles  in  lx>th,  to  designate 
the  Gentiles,  being  founded  upon  Gen.  x,  5.  See  also  Ps. 
Ixxii.  10.      The  many  islands^  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  51  (50.) 

2.  Vapour  and  gloom  (are)  round  him ;  righteousness  and 
judgment  (are)  the  ;place  of  his  throne.  The  images  and  terms 
in  the  first  clause  are  borrowed  from  Deut.  v.  22.  Compare  Ex. 
xix.  16,  18,  and  see  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  10,  12  (9,  11.)  With 
the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15  (14.)  Righteousness  and 
judgment  seem  to  be  here  related  as  the  attribute  and  act.  Th6 
word  translated  place  has,  from  its  very  derivation,  the  specific 
sense  of  a  permanent  or  fixed  place,  and  especially  a  dwelling- 
place.  Compare  1  Kings  viii.  13.  The  figures  in  the  first 
clause  are  expressive  of  concealment  or  mystery,  but  only  as  a 
source  of  solemn  awe,  as  in  the  great  theophany  on  Sinai. 

3.  Fire  before  him  goes,  and  burns  up  around  (him)  his  fees 
With    the   first  clause    compare  Ps.  1.  3  ;    with   the  last,   Isai 


e  PSALM    XCVII. 

xlii.  25.  See  also  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  15  (14.)  The  future  form  is 
used  because  the  verb  describes  not  what  the  wrath  of  God  is 
doing  or  has  actually  done,  but  what  it  will  do  when  provoked  by 
obstinate  resistance. 

4.  His  lightnings  made  the  icorld  shine;  (then)  saw  and  trem.' 
hied  the  earth.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxvii.  17,  19  (16,  IS.)  Here  be- 
gins the  second  stanza,  in  which,  as  in  most  cases  of  the  same 
sort,  inanimate  creation  is  described  as  sharing  in  the  powerful 
effects  of  the  divine  epiphany.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  8  (7.) 
xcvi.  11,  12,  and  compare  Judg.  v.  4.  Nah.  i.  5.  Hab.  iii.  6.  Isai. 
ixiv.  1. 

5.  Mountains  like  wax  are  melted  from  hefore  Jehovah^  from  be- 
fore the  Lord  of  all  the.  earth.  Compare  Mic.  i.  4.  iv.  13.  As 
in  all  such  cases,  while  mountains  are  mentioned  as  the  salient 
points  of  the  earth,  they  suggest,  at  the  same  time,  the  idea  of 
great  states  and  kingdoms,  of  which  they  are  a  standing  symbol. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxx.  8  (7.)  xlvi.  3  (2.) 

6.  The  heavens  declare  his  righteousness^  and  all  the  nations  see 
his  glory.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  1.  6,  and  with  the 
last  Isai.  xl.  5.  Ixvi.  18.  See  also  Isai.  xxxv.  2.  lix.  19.  The 
manifestation  of  Jehovah's  glory  to  the  Gentiles  is  a  favourite 
conception  of  Isaiah,  and  particularly  frequent  in  his  later  pro- 
phecies. 

7.  Shamed  shall  he  all  serving  a  graven  image  and  boasting 
themselves  of  idols.  Bow  down  to  him^  all  ye  gods  !  The  first 
word  means  not  merely  ashamed,  but  disappointed,  defeated,  and 
confounded.  All  serving  or  all  servers  (i.  e.  worshippers)  of  a 
graven  image.  Boasting  themselves ^  exulting  in  the  knowledge 
and  possession  and  imagined  favour  of  material  images.  Idols^ 
nothings  or  nonentities,  as  in  Ps.  xcvi.  5.     The  use  of  this  word 


PSALM    XCVI 


337 


shows  that  iu  the  following  clause  the  false  gods  are  invested  with 
existence  only  to  be  treated  with  the  more  contempt.  Compare 
Ex.  xii.  12.  Num.  xxxiii.  4.  Isai.  xix.  1.  xlii.  17.  xliv.  9.  The 
verb  in  this  clause  might  be  taken  as  a  preterite,  worship  or  hiive 
worshipped  ;  but  the  imperative  construction  seems  to  be  required 
by  the  analogy  of  Ps.  xcvi.  9.  Tbese  words  are  not  applied  to 
Christ  directly  in  Heb.  i.  6.  It  is  merely  said  that  when  God 
sends  his  son  into  the  world,  he  may  be  understood  as  saying 
again  (naXiv)  of  him,  what  is  here  said  of  himself,  to  wit,  that  even 
the  false  gods  are  required  to  worship  him,  much  more  the  angels 
who  have  real  existence.  The  passage  was  no  doubt  suggested  to 
the  mind  of  the  New  Testament  writer  by  the  fact  that  the  Sep- 
tuagint  renders  gods  by  angels,  though  he  does  not  copy  this  er- 
roneous version. 

S.  Zion  hears  and  rejoices,  and  glad  are  the  daughters  of  JudaK, 
because  of  thy  judgments^  Jehovah  !  While  the  heathen  are  con- 
founded, the  people  of  God  rejoice.  The  terms  of  the  verse  are 
borrowed  from  Ps.  xlviii.  12  (11),  in  the  note  upon  which  the 
ambiguous  phrase,  daughters  of  Judah,  is  explained.  The  judg- 
ments here  particularly  meant  are  those  inflicted  on  the  unbelieving 
Gentiles. 

9.  For  thou,  Jehovah,  {art)  Most  High  above  all  the,  earth; 
greatly  art  thou  exalted  above  all  gods.  Jehovah's  infinite  supe- 
riority to  idols  and  their  worshippers  is  once  more  solemnly  as- 
ported  Wi<<h  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  19  (18)  ;  with 
the  second  Ps.  xlvii.  10  (9.)  It  is  remarkable  that  two  psalms 
are  here  put  together  in  quotation,  which  there  is  :5trong  internal 
reason  for  supposing  to  have  been  occasioned  by  a  victory  of  Je- 
hoshaphat. 

10.  Lovers  of  Jehovah,  hate  evil !  He  keeps  th£.  souls  of  his 
gracious  ones ;  from  the  hand  of  wicked  {men)  hz  wiU  set   them 

15 


338 


PSALM  XCVIl 


free.  The  people  of  God  are  now  exhorted  not  to  do  evil  in  the 
hope  of  thereby  being  safer.  Evil^  in  the  moral  sense  of  wicked 
ness,  and  more  especially  injustice.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  10  (9.) 
xxxiv.  14,  15.  With  the  first  words  of  the  verse  compare  Ps.  v 
12  (11-)  He  JceepSj  or  rather,  he  (is)  keeping,  i.  e.  habitually 
constantly  preserving.  The  danger,  against  which  they  particu- 
larly  need  protection,  is  distinctly  mentioned  in  the  last  clause, 
namely,  that  arising  from  the  enmity  of  wicked  men.  Gracious 
oneSy  objects  of  God's  mercy,  subjects  of  his  grace,  a  favourite 
description  of  the  righteous  or  true  believers,  as  a  class.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  iv.  4  (3.) 

11.  Light  {is)  sown  for  the  just  {man),  and  for  right-hearted 
{men)  joy.  The  figurative  term  light  is  explained  by  the  literal 
one  joy  ov  gladness.  Its  being  sown  suggests  the  two  ideas  of 
difi'usion  and  productiveness.  Compare  the  simitar  and  parallel 
expression,  Ps.  cxii.  4.  The  alternation  of  the  singular  and  plural 
number  shows  that  the  just  man  of  the  first  claase  is  an  ideal  per- 
son, representing  a  whole  class. 

12.  Rejoice,  ye  righteous,  in  Jehovah,  and  give  thanks  to  the 
meTnory  of  his  holiness.  Since  joy  is  the  portion  of  the  righteous, 
let  them  accept  it  and  make  use  of  it,  but  only  in  the  Lord,  i.  e. 
in  reference  to  the  possession  and  enjoyment  of  his  favour,  as  the 
reason  and  the  warrant  for  rejoicing.  At  the  same  time  let  ihem 
testify  their  gratitude  to  that  divine  perfection  which  is  treasured 
in  their  memory  and  suggested  by  the  name  of  God.  See  above, 
OD  Ps.  XXX.  5  (4.)  xxxii.  11,  from  which  the  language  of  thii 
forsr3  is  borrowed. 


PSALM   XCVlil  33P 


PSALM    XCVlil. 

This  psalm  is  similar,  in  tone  and  structure,  to  the  one  befoiQ 
it,  containing  three  stanzas  of  three  verses  each.  The  first  pro- 
pounds the  subject  of  the  praise  to  which  the  whole  world  is  ex- 
horted, vs.  1 — 3.  The  second  prescribes  the  form  in  which  it 
shall  be  rendered,  vs.  4 — 6.  The  third  determines  its  extent,  or 
in  other  words,  requires  it  to  be  universal,  vs.  7 — 9. 

1.  A  Psalm.  Sing  ye  to  Jehovah  a  tiew  song.,  for  wonders  hi 
has  dome  ;  his  right  hand  has  wrought  salvation  for  him.,  and  hit 
holy  arm.  This  is  the  only  case  in  which  the  ^ovd  psalm  (li?2j73 
stands  by  itself  as  a  complete  inscription.  This  fact  has  been  in- 
geniously explained  by  supposing,  that  the  word  was  intended  to 
distinguish  this,  as  a  purely  lyrical  composition,  from  the  one  be- 
fore it,  which  has  more  of  the  prophetic  character  and  style. 
The  first  clause  after  this  inscription  is  like  Ps.  xcvi.  1,  where  the 
words  have  been  explained  already.  Wonders,  or  wondrous  deeds 
things  wonderfully  done,  as  in  Ps.  xcvi.  3.  Wrought  salvation^ 
literally,  saved  for  him.,  i.  e.  enabled  him  to  save  his  people.  Th^ 
idea  and  expression  are  both  found  in  Isai.  lix.  16.  Ixiii.  5,  as  lli« 
expression  arm  of  holin£ss  (or  holy  arm)  is  in  Isai.  iil.  10.  This 
is  one  of  the  cases  in  which  Aoli^iess  has  the  wide  sense  of  divine 
perfection,  as  opposed  to  what  is  finite  or  belongs  to  the  creature 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  4  (3.)  With  the  whole  verse  compare 
lud^.  vii.  9.     The  allusions   to  Isaiah,  or  quotations  from  hiir 


PSALM  xcvni. 

ttat  the  wonders  to  be  celebrated  are  like  tho^e  wli'ica  con« 
fititute  the  theme  of  his  later  prophecies,  namely,  Jehovah's  in- 
terpositions for  the  deliverance  and  protection  of  his  people. 

2.  Jehovah  hath  made  known  his  salvation^  to  the  eyes  of  the  na- 
tions he  hath  revealed  his  righteousness.  He  has  shown  the  world 
his  power  and  his  willingness  to  save  his  own  people  according  to 
his  jiromise,  with  respect  to  which  his  righteousness  and  his  salva- 
tion are  related  to  each  other  as  cause  and  effect.  With  this  versft 
compare  Isai.  lii.  10. 

3.  He  hath  reinemhered  his  mercy  and  his  truth  for  the  house  of 
Israel ;  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  have  seen  the  salvation  of  our  God. 
The  common  version  connects  to  the  house  of  Israel  with  what  im- 
mediately precedes,  the  mercy  and  truth  which  he  formerly  ex- 
ercised towards  the  house  of  Israel.  But  accordins:  to  the 
Hebrew  idiom  and  the  usage  of  the  Psalms,  the  preposition  is  de- 
pendent on  the  leading  verb  ;  *  he  has  called  to  mind  his  mercy 
and  truth  for  the  present  benefit  of  the  house  of  Israel.'  Truth, 
fidelity  to  his  engagements.  See  the  same  combination  in  Ps. 
Xcii.  3.  The  last  clause  is  another  citation  from  Isai.  lii.  10, 
which  shows  that  the  salvation  primarily  meant  is  that  of  Israel. 
This,  however,  is  closely  connected  in  prophecy  with  that  of  the 
Gentiles 

4.  Shout  to  Jehovah,  all  the  earth  !  Burst  forth,  and  sing,  a^M 
play  !  The  second  stanza  prescribes  the  form  or  manner  of  the 
praise.  This  verse  accumulates  the  verbs  denoting  joyful  ncise, 
whether  inarticulate,  articulat-e,  or  instrumental.  The  first  clause 
iifferij  from  Ps.  xcvi.  1,  only  by  substituting  one  divine  name  for 
mother.  See  abo  Vi.  xlvii  2^1.)  The  verb  (nss)  to  bui  ?t 
forth  (into  praise  or  shiging)  u  almost  peculiar  to  Isaiah  (xiv.  7 
xiiv.  23.  xHs.  12.  liv.  1.)  Ihia  very  comliuatioil  with  the  vi;i  b 
\o  s'ufig  occurs  in  Ljui   lii.  0. 


PSALM  XCVlll.  311 

5.  Make  music  to  Jehovah  with  a  harp,  with  a  harp  and 
a  musical  voice !  The  first  verb  is  the  one  translated  play  in 
the  preceding  verse.  Its  repetition  is  like  that  in  Ps.  xlvii. 
2  (1.)  It  is  strictly  applied  to  instrumental  music,  but  often  ex- 
tended to  any  musical  expression,  especially  of  praise  to  God,  A 
musical  voice,  or  a  voice  of  singing,  as  distinguished  from  the  voice 
of  speech.  The  phrase  occurs  in  Isai.  li.  3-  The  repeated  in- 
troduction of  the  verb  n?2T  or  its  derivatives  is  supposed  by  some 
to  be  the  reason  of  the  title  ^l)3T?2.     See  above,  on  v.  1. 

C.  With  trumpets  and  sound  of  cornet,  shout  hefore  the  King 
Jehovah  !  The  first  noun  is  supposed  to  denote  the  long  straight 
trumpet,  the  other  the  cornet  or  curved  horn  of  ancient  music. 
These  are 'named  as  the  accompaniments  of  the  act  described  in 
the  other  clause,  where  the  verb  may  therefore  have  the  sense  of 
shouting,  which  it  has  most  generally  in  these  psalms.  The  act 
described  is  the  joyful  acclamation  at  the  accession  or  public  re- 
cognition of  a  sovereign.  King  Jehovah  is  a  combination  found 
in  Isai.  vi.  5.  Compare  Ps.  xcv.  3.  xcvi.  10.  xcvii.  1.  The 
whole  is  equivalent  to  saying,  hail  him  who  has  now  become  your 
king' 

7.  Lei  the  sea  thunder  and  what  'fills  it — the  land  and  those 
dwelling  on  it.  The  last  stanza  represents  the  praise  as  universal. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  first  clause,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xcvi.  11 ;  for 
that  of  the  second,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  1.  The  word  there  translated 
world  is  here  used  in  opposition  to  sea,  and  therefore  rendered 
land.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xc.  2. 

8.  Let  rivers  clap  the  hand;  together  let  mountains  sing  (or 
Bhout  for  joy!)  This  bold  but  beautiful  personification  is  also 
found  in  Isai.  Iv.  12,  the  only  other  place  where  the  clapping  of 
the  hands  is  ascribed  to  lifeless  objects.  This  was  a  customary 
sign  of  joy,  especially  when  joined  with  acclamation  in  honour 


342  PSALM   XCIX. 

of  a  sovereign,  as  it  is  not  only  here,  and  in  Ps.  xMi.  2(1),  iu 

highly  figurative  poetry,  but  also  in  historical  prose,  e.  g.  the 
account  of  the  coronation  of  Joash,  2  Kings  xi.  12.  Together^ 
not  merely  with  each  other,  but  at  the  same  time  and  in  concert 
with  the  applauses  of  the  floods  or  rivers. 

9.  Before  Jehovah^  for  he  comet h  to  judge  the  earth;  he  wiU 
judge  t/ie  world  in  righteousness  and  nations  in  equity.  The  ac- 
clamations must  be  uttered  to  Jehovah,  not  only  as  a  sovereign 
king,  but  as  a  righteous  judge.  The  first  clause  is  like  Ps. 
xcvi.  13,  except  that  it  omits  the  emphatic  repetition,  which  is 
also  the  case  in  1  Chr.  xvi.  33.  The  first  verb  might,  in  all  these 
cases,  be  more  exactly  and  emphatically  rendered,  he  is  come. 
In  equity,  literally  equities  or  rectitudes,  the  plural  form  denoting 
fulness  and  perfection.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xcvi.  10 


PSALM    XCIX. 

The  theme  of  this  psalm,  as  of  those  immediately  preceding,  is 
(he  kingship  of  Jehovah,  v.  1.  The  remainder  falls  into  two 
stanzas  of  four  verses  each.  In  the  first,  Jehovah's  goodness  to 
his  people  is  propounded  as  a  subject  of  applause  to  all  mankind, 
vs.  2 — 5.  In  the  second,  the  same  duty  is  enforced  by  an  ap- 
peal to  historical  examples,  vs.  6 — 9.  The  strophical  arrange- 
ment is  marked  by  the  resemblance  of  vs.  5  and  9.  The  psalm 
is  related  in  the  closest  manner  to  those  before  and  after  it,  as 
forming  one  connected  series.  See  below,  on  Ps.  c. 

1.  Jehovah  ^eigns,  the  nations  tremble;  sitting  on  (or  dwelliry^ 


PSALxM   XCIX.  343 

Oetween)  the  cherubim  (he  reigns),  the  earth  quakes.  The  second 
member  of  each  clause  describes  the  effect  produced  by  the  dis^ 
closure  of  the  fact  that  God  has  begun  to  reign,  is  act'ially 
reigning.  For  the  meaning  of  the  phrase  sitli7ig  on  (or  dwdlivg 
between)  the  cherubim,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxx.  2  (1.)  As  used  in 
history,  it  always  presupposes  the  presence  of  the  ark  as  symbol- 
izing that  of  God  himself.  See  1  Sam.  iv.  4.  2  Sam.  vi.  2. 
2  Kings  xix.  15.  Its  use  here,  therefore,  shows  that  the  psalm 
before  us,  and  by  necessary  consequence,  the  series  to  which  it 
belongs  (Ps.  xci— c),  and  by  parity  of  reasoning,  the  later  pro- 
phecies of  Isaiah,  were  all  composed  before  the  Babylonian  eon- 
quest,  when  the  temple  was  destroyed  and  the  ark  lost  sight  of. 
The  futures  have  their  strict  sense,  as  this  is  a  prediction.  If 
they  were  optative  {let  the  nations  tremble,  etc.)  one  of  the  verbs 
at  least  would  have  that  form. 

2.  Jehovah  in  Zion  (is)  great,  and  high  (is)  he  above  all  na- 
ions.     Compare  Ps.  xlviii.  2  (1.)  xcv.  3.  xcvi.  4.  xcvii.  9.     The 

addition  of  the  qualifying  phrase  in  Zion  shows  that  the  reference 
is  not  to  God's  absolute  essential  greatness,  but  to  some  signal 
manifestation  of  his  greatness  to  his  people.  The  word  translated 
high  is  originally  a  participle,  and  may  be  likened  to  our  English 
towering. 

3.  They  shall  acknowledge  thy  name,  great  and  terrible  :  Holy 
(is)  He  !  The  subject  of  the  first  verb  is  the  nations  mentioned 
in  V.  2.  See  above,  Ps.  xcvi.  9.  xcvii.  7.  xcviii.  1,  4.  The  verb 
itself  means  to  acknowledge  thankfully,  to  thank,  to  praise  for 
benefits  received.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  5  (4.)  Thy  name,  the 
evidence  already  furnished  of  thine  infinite  perfection.  Great 
and  feared,  or  to  be  feared,  epithets  derived  from  Deut.  x.  17 
xxviii.  5S.  In  the  last  clause  some  would  read.  Holy  {is)  it,  i.  o 
thy  name.  But  the  sense  is  determined  by  the  analogy  of  vs. 
6,  9.  and  the  obvious  allusion  fo  Isai.  vi.  3      This  allusion  is  by 


344  PSALM    XCIX. 

some  supposed  to  be  the  reason  of  the  sudden  change  of  person 
He  instead  of  Thou.  But  this  may  be  still  more  readily  ac- 
counted for,  by  making  these  the  very  words  in  which  God  is 
acknowledged  by  the  nations :  (saying)  Holy  is  He !  Holy^  in 
the  wide  sense  which  it  has  in  the  Old  Testament,  and  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  Psalms.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii,  4  (3.) 

4.  And  the  king'^s  strength  loves  judgment ;  thou  hast  established 
equity  ;  judgment  and  justice  in  Jacob  thou  hast  dotie.  Some  con- 
tinue the  construction  from  the  preceding  sentence  ;  they  shall 
acknowledge  thy  name  and  the  kiiig''s  strength  loving  judgment. 
"But  as  sentences  of  this  length  are  unusual  in  Hebrew,  and  as 
Dn55  is  not  elsewhere  a  participle  or  verbal  adjective,  the  best 
construction  is  the  old  one  which  makes  this  an  independent 
proposition.  The  meaning  of  the  first  clause  seems  to  be,  that 
God's  power  is  controlled  in  its  exercise  by  his  love  of  justice. 
To  establish  equity  is  to  give  it  permanence  by  a  habitually  pure 
administration  of  justice.  The  terms  of  the  last  clause  are  the 
same  by  which  the  history  describes  the  judicial  fidelity  of  David, 
2  Sam.  viii.  15,  as  if  to  indicate  that  it  was  a  mere  type  of  God'a 
more  perfect  and  infallible  administration  of  impartial  justice. 

5.  Exalt  ye  Jehovah  our  God^  and  'prostrate  yourselves  to  his 
footstool.  Holy  (is)  He!  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
XXX.  2  (1.)  xxxiv.  4  (3)  ;  with  the  second,  Ps.  xcvi.  9.  xcvii.  7. 
As  in  those  cases,  the  address  is  to  the  nations.  Bow  down  (or 
f  rostrate)  yourselves.,  as  an  act  of  worship.  Not  at  his  footstool., 
as  the  mere  place  of  worship,  but  to  it.,  as  the  object,  this  name 
being  constantly  given  to  the  ark,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  2.  Lam.  ii.  1. 
Ps.  cxxxii.  7.  Isai.  Ix.  13.  Even  in  Isai.  Ixvi.  1,  there  is  al- 
lusion to  the  ordinary  usage  of  the  terms.  The  ark  is  here  re- 
presented as  the  object  of  worship,  just  as  Zion  is  in  Isai.  xlv  14 
both  being  put  for  the  God  who  was  present  in  them. 


PSALM   XCIX.  345 

6.  Mous  and  Aaron  among  his  priesh,  and  Samuel  among 
iko$e  calling  on  his  name — calling  to  Jehovah^  and  he  answers 
them.  The  structure  of  the  sentence  is  elliptical,  and  may  be 
completed  either  by  supplying  are  or  were  before  among^  or  by 
making  the  participle  calling  mean  are  calling.,  call.  In  ex- 
plaining  the  sentence  due  regard  must  be  had  to  its  parallel 
structure.  As  Moses  and  Aaron  are  evidently  meant  to  be  in- 
eluded  among  those  who  called  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  so 
Samuel  must  be  comprehended  among  his  priests.  Moses  and 
Samuel  are  so  described  because  they  were  theocratic  mediators 
between  God  and  the  people,  and  as  such  performed  occasionally 
what  were  strictly  sacerdotal  functions.  See  Lev.  viii.  15 — 30. 
1  Sam.  ix.  13.  The  prayers  here  referred  to  are  their  interces- 
sions for  the  people.  See  Ex.  xviii.  19.  xxxii.  11 — 30.  Num. 
xi.  2.  xiv.  9.  xxi.  7.  Deut.  v.  5.  ix.  18,  19.  1  Sam.  vii.  9.  xii.  23. 
Ps.  cvi.  23.  The  connection  of  this  verse  with  the  foregoing  con- 
text is  obscure,  but  the  idea  seems  to  be,  that  as  even  the  chiefs 
of  the  theocracy  were  under  the  necessity  of  seeking  the  diviuo 
favour,  such  prayer  must,  to  say  the  least,  be  equally  necessary 
in  the  case  of  others. 

1.  In  a  pillar  of  cloud  he  speaks  to  them.  They  kept  his  testi- 
monies and  the  statute  he  gave  wnio  them.  The  first  clause  may 
be  figuratively  understood  as  denoting  any  special  divine  com- 
munication, or  what  was  literally  true  of  Moses  and  Aaron  (^Ex. 
xxxiii.  9.  Num.  xii.  5.  Deut.  xxxi.  15)  may  be  here  applied  to  all 
three  indiscriminately.  The  verse  contains  a  second  lesson 
drawn  from  the  history  of  the  theocracy,  to  wit,  the  necessity  of 
obedience  no  less  than  of  prayer.  It  was  true,  God  spoke  to  these 
men  in  an  extraordinary  manner ;  but  it  was  for  the  purpose  of 
making  known  his  will,  and  that  will  they  obeyed.  For  the 
meaning  of  testimonies.,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xciii.  5.  The  last 
clause  may  be  construed  as  an  independent  proposition,  and  kt 
gave  a  statute  to  them^  i.  e.  ho  rewarded  their  obedience  by  re- 


346  PSALM   XCIX. 

sealing  to  them  new  laws.  But  the  sense  thus  obtairied  is  aot  so 
clear  or  natural  as  that  afforded  by  the  relative  construction,  and 
the  statute  (which)  he  gave  them. 

8.  Jehovah  our  God,  thou  didst  answe?-  them  ;  a  forgiving  God 
wast  thou  to  them,  and  (a  God)  taking  vengeance  on  their  crimes. 
The  apostrophe  to  Grod  himself  adds  solemnity  and  tenderness 
to  the  discourse.  The  pronoun  is  emphatic,  they  called  and  thou 
didst  hear  or  answer.  The  following  description  is  borrowed 
from  Ex.  xxxiv.  7.  The  divine  name  (bi^)  implies  that  he  had 
infinite  power  to  destroy  and  yet  forgave  them.  The  last  He- 
brew word  in  the  verse  is  used  of  God  in  a  good  sense,  and  of 
man  always  in  a  bad  one.  See  above  on  Ps.  ix.  12  (H.)  xiv.  1. 
Ixxvii.  13  (12.)  There  is  here  a  beautiful  transition  from  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  people  to  the  people  themselves.  The  pronoun 
in  the  first  clause  {them)  can  refer  only  to  Moses,  Aaron,  and 
Samuel ;  in  the  second,  it  is  applicable  both  to  them  and  to  the 
people  ;  in  the  third,  it  relates  to  the  latter  exclusively. 

9.  Exalt  ye  Jehovah  our  God,  and  how  down  to  his  holy  hill; 
for  holy  (is)  Jehovah  our  God.  See  above,  on  v.  5,  from  which 
this  differs  only  in  the  substitution  of  the  holy  hill  for  the  equiva- 
lent expression  footstool,  and  in  the  more  distinct  assertion  of 
God's  holiness  as  a  reason  for  the  worship  thus  required. 


PSALM     C. 

This  psalm  is  related  to  the  ninety-ninth  as  the  ninety-eighth 
tf  to  the  ninety-seventh.      The   prophecy  there  latent   is  here 


PSALM   C.  34-} 

clothed  in  a  genuine  lyrical  form.  There  is  also  the  same  likeness 
as  to  structure  and  arrangement.  The  theme,  propounded  in  v. 
1,  is  amplified  in  two  short  stanzas,  of  two  verses  each.  In  both 
these  an  exhortation  to  praise  God  is  followed  by  a  reason  for  so 
doing.  Men  ought  to  praise  him  as  their  creator  and  preserver, 
vs.  2,  3.  They  ought  also  to  praise  him  for  his  infinite  goodness, 
constancy,  and  faithfulness,  vs.  4,  5.  Besides  completing  the 
foregoing  psalm,  it  closes  the  whole  series  or  cycle  of  harmonious 
addresses  to  the  nations  or  the  world  at  large. 

1.  A  Psalm.  For  thanksgiving.  Shout  unto  Jehovah,  all  tht 
earth!  The  title  resembles  that  of  Ps.  xcvii.,but  is  rendered 
more  specific  by  the  addition  for  thanksgiving.  The  version 
fraise  is  too  restricted.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xcix.  3.  The  rest  of 
the  verse  is  identical  with  Ps.  xcviii.  4.    See  also  Ps.  ii.  11.  Ixvi.  1 

2.  Serve  Jehovah  with  joy,  come  hefore  him  ivith  singing  1 
Since  he  is  the  king  of  the  nations,  they  are  his  subjects,  and  as 
such  bound  to  serve  him.  What  they  are  required  to  do  in  Ps. 
ii.  11  with  fear  and  trembling  as  repentant  rebels,  they  are  here 
invited  to  do  with  joy  and  gladness  as  his  willing  subjects. 

3.  Know  ye  that  Jehovah  is  God;  (it  is)  He  (that)  made  us,  anJ 
not  we  (ourselves),  his  people,  and  the  sheep  of  his  pasture.  This 
is  the  first  reason  given  for  acknowledging  Jehovah's  sovereignty, 
to  wit,  that  he  has  made  his  people  what  they  are.  With  the 
first  clause  compare  Ps.  xlvi.  11  (10.)  Instead  of  and  not  wc 
ourselves,  the  keri  or  masoretic  reading  in  the  margin  of  the  He- 
brew Bible  has,  and  his  we  are.  These  phrases,  though  so  un- 
like in  English,  differ  only  in  a  single  letter,  and  not  (j^b)  we, 
and  to  him  (i^)  we.  The  first  is  adopted  by  the  Septuagmt  and 
Vulgate,  the  second  by  the  Targum  and  Jerome.  In  favour  of 
the  latter  is  the  similar  construction  of  the  pronoun  (l^HDJ^)  w. 
with  (M2^)  his  people  in  Ps.  Ixxix.  13.  xcv.  7.     In  favour  of  the 


518  PSALJVI    C. 

other  is  its  antiquity,  and  its  greater  significancy  and  appropriate 
ness  to  the  context.  Some  who  adopt  it  read,  it  is  he  thut  has  made 
us  (to  bo)  his  people^  the  shedjp^  etc.  But  besides  the  violence  of  this 
construction,  he  made  us  has  no  doubt  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps 
xcv.  6,  and  his  j)eople  must  mean  us  who  are  his  people.  Sheep  (or 
flock)  of  his  pasture,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxiv.  1.  Ixxix.  13.  xcv.  7. 

4.  Enter  his  gates  with  thanksgiving  and  his  court?,  with  proiie , 
give  thamks  unto  him^  hless  his  name  !  Compare  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  3  (2.) 
xcii.  14  (13.)  xcv.  2.  xcvi.  2,  8.  xcvii.  12.  The  substance  of  tho 
exhortation  is,  join  in  the  worship  of  his  people.  That  the  refer- 
ence to  the  sanctuary  at  Jerusalem  is  merely  typical  or  meta- 
phorical, is  clear  from  the  analogy  of  Isai.  Ixvi.  23,  where  all 
mankind  are  required  to  come  up  every  sabbath,  a  command 
which,  if  literally  understood,  is  perfectly  impracticable.  The 
combination  of  the  verb  to  thank  (^'lin)  with  its  derivative  noun 
(nni?!)  may  throw  some  light  upon  the  title,  a  psalm  for  thanks- 
giving (nninb). 

5.  For  good  (is)  Jehovah^  to  eternity  his  mercy ^  and  even  to 
generation  and  generation  his  fcAthfidness  (or  truth.)  This  verso 
assigns  a  second  reason  for  the  invitation  to  praise  Jehovah, 
namely,  the  goodness,  truth,  and  constancy  of  the  divine  nature. 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  3fxv.  8.  xxxiv.  9  (8.)  Ixxxvi.  5 ; 
with  the  second,  Isai.  liv.  8,  10  ;  with  the  third,  Ps.  lxxxix.2  (1.) 
xcii  3  (2.) 


Here  ends  what  Hengstenber^  desciibes  as  a  decalogue  of 
Psalms  (xci — c),  all  intended  to  exhibit  the  njlation  between  Israel 
and  the  world  at  large  •,  all  of  a  (jhecing  and  triumphant  character, 
without  the  slightest  intern.ix.ture  of  comp?.aint  or  lamentation  ; 
all    srowded   with   citations  from    the   older    Scriptures,   or  al- 


PSALM    C  3^g 

lusions  to  them  ;  almost  all  pointing  to  a  glorious  theophany  still 
future  ;  and  almost  all  distinguished  by  emphatic  repetitions,  and 
the  frequent  use  of  musical  terms,  especially  the  names  of  instru 
ments.  That  these  psalms  are  not  thrown  together  at  random,  is 
apparent  frcm  the  fact  that  the  series  begins  with  a  g-neral  as- 
surance of  divine  protection  (Ps.  xci.),  and  of  God's  power  both 
to  save  the  righteous  and  destroy  the  wicked  (Ps.  xcii),  followed 
bj  variations  on  the  grand  theme  that  the  Lord  reignetii 
Ps.  xciii— xcix),and  closing  with  an  earnest  exhortation  to  the 
whole  world  to  receive  him  as  their  sovereii^u  (Ps.  c.)  The 
mutual  relation  of  the  several  psalms  has  been  already  indicated 
in  the  exposition.  According  to  Hengstenberg,  these  ten  psalms 
are  in  Psalmody  what  the  later  chapters  of  Isaiah  (xl— Ixvi)  aro 
m  Prophecy  ;  and  as  the  former  are  undoubtedly  anterior  to  the 
exile;  they  confirm  the  genuineucaa  of  the  latter. 


SHS9  Q9  ^b.   18. 


THL 


PSALMS 


'RANSLATED    AND    EXPLAINED 


J.   A.   ALEXANDER 


'KOFKSSOR   IN   THK  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY  AT 


VOLUME  III 


PRIKCIJTOJS. 


SIXTH      EDITION 


NEW  YORK: 
SCRIBNER,    APaiSTRONG   Si   CO., 

654    BROADWAY. 

1873. 


THE    PSALMS 


PSALM     CI. 

After  propounding  as  his  theme  the  mercy  and  justice  of  the 
Lord,  V.  1,  the  Psalmist  announces  his  determination  to  be  blame- 
less in  his  own  walk,  vs.  2 — 4,  and  so  to  exercise'  his  power  over 
others  as  to  favour  the  godly  and  drive  out  the  wicked,  vs.  5 — 8. 

1.  By  David.  A  Psalm.  Mercy  and  judgment  will  I  sing  ;  to 
thee^  Jehovah.,  will  F play  (or  make  music.)  As  such  a  declaration 
of  a  present  purpose  in  the  Psalms  is  always  followed  by  its  exe- 
cution, the  older  interpreters  suppose  mercy  and  judgment  to  be 
those  which  David  meant  to  practise,  as  he  states  more  fully  in 
the  remainder  of  the  psalm.  But  besides  that  he  says  nothing 
in  what  follows  of  his  mercy,  there  is  no  usage  of  the  Psalms 
more  settled  than  that  mercy  and  justice  are  combined  to  denote 
divine  not  human  attributes,  and  that  to  sing  and  make  music  to 
Jehovah  never  means  to  praise  something  else  in  an  address  to 
him,  but  always  to  sing  praises  to  himself.  See  above,  Ps.  ix. 
,2  (11.)  xiii.  6  (5.)  xviii.  50  (49.)  xxx.  5  (4.)  13  (12.)  xxxiii.  2. 
ixviii.  5  (4.)  Ixxi.  22,  23,  in  all  which  cases  the  form  of  expres- 
sion Sijems  to  be  derived  from  Judg.  v.  3.  But  the  psalm  be- 
fore us  contains  no  such  celebration  of  God's  mercy  and  justice 


4  PSALM    CI. 

beyond  this  first  verse.  The  best  solution  of  this  fact  appears  to 
be  the  one  proposed  by  Hengstenberg,  according  to  which  the 
execution  of  the  purpose  here  avowed  is  contained  in  Ps.  ciii, 
which  then,  together  with  the  one  before  us,  and  of  course  the 
interveni-og  one,  compose  a  trilogy  or  series  of  three  psahns,  all 
by  David,  each  complete  in  itself,  and  yet  designed  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  others  and  interpreted  by  them.  Supposing  this 
to  be  the  case,  we  must  regard  them  all  as  psalms  of  David, 
whose  name  is  prefixed  to  the  third  and  the  one  before  us,  in 
which  he  lays  down  a  rule,  as  it  were,  for  his  own  government, 
and  that  of  his  successors,  in  the  regal  ofiice.  The  impression 
made  by  these  inspired  instructions  on  the  first  of  those  succes- 
sors may  account  for  the  remarkable  coincidences  of  expression 
between  this  psalm  and  the  Book  of  Proverbs. 

2.  /  will  ad  wisely  in  a  perfect  way.  When  wilt  thou  com/t 
to  me  7  I  will  walk  in  the  integrity  of  my  heart  within  my  house. 
As  to  the  first  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps,  ii.  10.  xiv.  2.  Its  form 
here  is  one  expressing  fixed  determination.  A  perfect  way^  as  in 
Ps.  xviii.  31,  33  (30,  32.)  This  and  other  favourite  expressions 
of  the  same  kind,  Ps.  xviii.  24,  26  (23,  25.)  xv.  2,  are  founded 
upon  Gen.  xvii.  1.  When  wilt  thou  come  to  me,  and  bless  me,  i» 
fulfilment  of  thy  promise,  Ex.  xx.  21.  This  interrogative  ejacu- 
lation implies  a  sense  of  his  dependence  on  divine  aid  for  the 
execution  of  his  purpose.  Integrity  {integritas,  completeness)  of 
my  heart  is  an  expression  borrowed  from  Gren.  xx.  5,  6.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  72,  and  compare  1  Kings  iii.  14.  Prov. 
XX.  7.  Way  and  walk  are  familiar  figures  for  habitual  conduct 
Within,  literally,  in  the  midst  (or  inside)  of  my  house,  i.  e.  at  home, 
in  private  life,  as  distinguished  from  the  house  of  God  and  his 
official  conduct  there,  to  which  he  afterwards  adverts. 

3.  I  will  not  set  before  my  eyes  a  word  of  Belial ;  the  doing  of 
cpostasies  I  /uite,  it  shall  not  cleave  to  me.     The  positive  terms  of 


PSALM    CI.  5 

the  preceding  verse  are  iiow  exchanged  for  negatives.  Having 
baid  what  he  will  do,  he  now  says  what  he  will  not  do.  See  a 
similar  transition,  but  in  the  inverse  order,  Ps.  i.  1,2,  Sd 
before  my  eyes^  as  a  model  to  be  copied,  or  as  an  object  of  ap- 
proving contemplation.  A  uwrd  of  Belial^  as  in  Ps  xli.  9  (8), 
except  that  wdrd,  which  there  most  probably  relates  to  slander 
or  false  accusation,  may  here  denote  a  proposition,  and  the  whole 
phrase  a  worthless  (i.  e.  wicked)  plan  or  purpose.  Apostasies, 
departures,  deviations  from  the  right  course.  See  the  verbal 
root  as  used  in  Ps.  xl.  5  (4),  and  a  cognate  verb  in  Num.  v. 
12,  19.  Some  make  the  word  here  used  a  participle  or  verbal 
noun,  as  in  the  English  Bible,  the  work  of  them  that  turn  aside. 
But  its  form  and  the  analogy  of  Hos.  v.  2  entitle  the  other  con- 
struction to  the  preference.  It  shall  not  cleave  to  me,  I  will  not 
be  concerned  or  implicated  in  it ;  or  more  emphatically  still,  it 
shall  not  cleave  to  me  as  a  reproach  or  stigma.  In  favour  of  the 
former  sense  is  the  analogy  of  Deut.  xiii.  18  (17),  from  which  the 
expression  seems  to  have  been  borrowed. 

4.  A  crooked  heart  shall  depart  from  me;  evil  I  will  not  know. 
Crooked,  froward,  or  perverse,  as  in  Ps.  xviii.  27  {2Q.)  Com- 
pare Prov.  xi.  20.  xvii.  20.  The  whole  phrase  might  be  under- 
stood to  mean  a  person  having  such  a  heart,  and  the  whole  clause 
that  the  Psalmist  would  have  no  intercourse  with  such.  The 
parallel  term  evil  would  then  mean  a  wicked  person,  as  translate*^ 
in  the  English  Bible.  On  the  ground,  however,  that  the  person 
of  the  sinner  seems  to  be  reserved  for  the  latter  part  of 
the  psalm,  the  best  interpreters  take  evil  in  the  abstract  sense  of 
moial  evil,  wickedness,  as  in  Ps.  xxxiv.  17,  lii.  5  (3.)  The  first 
clause  will  then  naturally  mean,  my  own  heart  shall  not  be  per 
verse  or  froward. 

5.  (One)  slandering  in  secret  his  fellow — hhn  I  will  destroy  : 
(one)  lofty  of  eyes  and  wide  of  Jicart — h^m   I  will  not   beo-,  . 


6  PSALM    CI. 

Having  declared  what  his  own  course  of  life  should  be,  he  now 
describes  the  conduct  which  he  should  require  in  his  confid(;ntial 
servants.  Here  again  the  statement  is  both  negative  and  posi- 
tive, but  in  this  case  beginning  with  the  former.  See  above,  on 
V.  3.  It  is  not  an  improbable  conjecture  that  in  specifying 
slander,  David  had  reference  to  his  suiferings  from  that  cause  in 
the  days  of  Saul.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  1.  lii.  4 — 7  (2 — 5), 
and  compare  Ps.  xv.  3.  The  verb  translated  slandering  occurs, 
in  any  of  its  forms,  only  here  and  Prov  xxx.  10.  Wide  of  heart 
means  neither  magnanimous  nor  greedy,  but  proud,  self-confident, 
as  appears  from  Prov.  xxviii.  25.  Both  figurative  phi-ases  here 
used  are  combined  again  in  Prov.  xxi.  4.  The  last  verb  in  the 
sentence  usually  means  to  be  able^  but  is  here  used  absolutely,  as 
in  Isai.  i.  13. 

6.  My  eyes  (are)  on  the  fait hf 2d  of  the  land^  to  divell  with  me. 
(Onej  walking  in  a  perfect  way — he  shall  serve  me.  On  the  faith- 
ful^ literally,  in  or  with  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiv.  16,  17 
(15,  16),  and  compare  Ps.  xxxii.  8  (7.)  My  eyes  are  on  them  is 
equivalent  to  saying,  I  will  seek  them  out  to  dwell  with  me  and 
serve  me.  The  word  translated  faithful  is  properly  a  passive 
participle  meaning  trusted.,  relied  upon,  confided  in.  Another 
passive  participle  from  the  same  root  is  commonly  supposed  to  be 
used  in  the  same  sense,  Ps.  xii.  2  (l.j  xxxi.  24  (23.)  In  the 
first  words  of  the  last  clause  therf  \6  manifest  allusion  to  the  form 

'  of  expression  in  v.  2  above.  This  clause  is  to  be  understood  ex- 
clusively, such  a  person  and  no  other.  Shall  serve  me.,  be  em- 
ployed by  me,  clothed  with  responsible  and  honourable  offices. 

7.  Not  in  the  inside  of  my  house  shall  dwell  (one)  pradising 
fraud.^  telling  lies  ;  not  settled  shall  he  he  before  my  eyes.  Here 
again  the  form  of  expression  corresponds  to  that  in  the  first  part 
of  the  psalm.  Compare  in  the  midst  of  my  house  with  v  2,  and 
Itfore  my  eyes  with  v.  3.      Shall  not  dwell.,  or  still  more  strongly, 


PSALM    CI,  7 

j/"i//  7vot  (even J  sz7,  wliicb  is  the  primary  meaning  of  tlie  Hebro«» 
verb.  The  corresponding  verb  in  the  last  clause  means  to  be 
established,  permanently  settled,  as  opposed  to  a  mere  tem- 
porary, transient  presence.  As  if  he  had  said:  though  they 
shculd  even  gain  admission  to  my  house,  they  shall  not  take  up 
their  abode  there. 

8.  In  the  morning  will  I  destroy  all  the  wicked  of  the  land^  (so  as 
to  cut  off  from  the  city  of  Jehovah  all  workers  of  iniquity.  The 
first  phrase  literally  means  at  the  mornings^  and'  may  be  intended 
to  suggest  the  twofold  idea  of  early  and  constantly,  in  the  morn- 
ing and  every  morning.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii.  14,  and  com 
pare  Jer.  xxi.  12.  The  last  clause  serves  to  show,  or  to  remind 
the  reader,  that  this  rigour  was  not  simply  prudential  or  po- 
litical, but  religious.  It  had  reference  not  merely  to  Jerusalem 
as  a  city,  bat  as  the  city  of  Jehovah,  his  earthly  residence,  the 
centre  of  the  theocracy,  the  temporary  seat  of  the  true  religion. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  5  (4)  xlviii.  2  (l.)lxxxvii.  3.  Under  the 
peculiar  institutions  of  the  old  economy,  the  safety  of  the 
theocratic  state  required  peculiar  vigilance  and  rigour,  in  exer- 
cising even  those  powers  which  are  common  to  all  governments. 


PSALM    C  II. 

1.  A  Prayer.  By  a  Sufferer^  when  he  is  troubled,  and  hfort 
Jehovah  fours  out  his  complaint.  The  psalm  is  called  a  praye? 
because  petition  constitutes  its  substance.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xc. 
1.     The   translation  for  the  sufferer  (or  afflicted)  would  also  be 


S  PSALM    CI. 

grammatical,  and  perfectly  consistent  with  the  real  design  of  tho 
composition.  But  phrases  of  this  kind,  in  the  titles  of  the 
psalms,  so  constantly  indicate  the  author  or  performer,  and  when 
only  one  occurs  the  former,  that  a  departure  from  this  usage  here 
is  highly  improbable,  and  the  assumption  of  it  altogether  arbi- 
trary. At  the  same  time,  the  indefinite  expression,  a  sufferer^  or 
an  afflicted  person,  seems  to  be  intentionally  used  for  the  purpose 
of  giving  the  psalm  an  unrestricted  application,  though  the  pri* 
mary  reference  is  no  doubt  to  the  suffering  kings  of  Israel,  in 
w^hom  the  suiferings  of  the  people  were  concentrated  and  repre- 
sented. The  other  terms  of  the  inscription  all  occur  in  psalms  of 
David  ;  troubled  (  or  overwhelmed)  in  Ps.  Ixi.  3  (2)  ;  complaint 
(or  moaning)  in  Ps.  Iv.  3  (2.)  Ixiv.  2(1);  and  pouring  out  the 
soul  in  Ps.  Ixii.  9  (8.)  This  agrees  with  the  general  Davidic 
character  of  the  composition,  and  favours  Ilengstenberg's  hypo- 
thesis, not  otherwise- demonstrable,  nor  even  very  pr'obable,  that 
this  psalm  forms  the  connecting  link  between  the  pious  resolutions 
of  Ps.  101  and  the  joyful  acknowledgments  of  Ps.  103,  and  was 
composed  in  prophetic  foresight  of  the  straits  to  which  the  theo 
cratical  state  should  be  reduced,  and  in  which  the  sufferings  of 
David,  here  immediately  described,  should,  as  it  were,  be  realized 
anew.  The  psalm  may  be  divided  into  two  parts,  in  the  first  of 
which  the  tone  of  lamentation  or  complaint  predominates,  vs.  2 — 
12  (1 — 11),  while  in  the  second  it  is  tempered  and  controlled  by 
the  contemplation  of  God's  attributes,  and  confident  anticipation 
of  his  favour,  vs.  13—29  (12—28.) 

■  2(1.)  Jehovah,  hear  my  prayer,  and  let  my  cry  (for  help)  unto 
thee  come.  With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  iv.  2  (1.)  xvii.  1.  xviii.  7 
(6.)  iiv.  4  (2.)  There  is  no  more  reason  for  regarding  these 
resemblances  as  imitations  by  a  later  writer  in  the  case  before 
us  than  in  any  of  the  others  And  if  not  such,  they  may  serve 
to  show,  that  David  only  asks,  for  the  future  or  for  others,  that 
favour  which  he  has  himself  sought  and  experienced  already. 


PSALM    CII.  I) 

3  (2.)  Hide  not  thy  face  from  me  ;  in  the  day  (there  is)  aLHtresi 
to  we,  incline  to  me  th'ne  ear  ;  in  the  day  I  call^  make  haste  (atd) 
answer  me.  Compare  Ps.  x.  1,  xiii.  1.  xvii.  6.  xYiii.  7  (6.)  >^xvii. 
9.,xxxi.  3  (2.)  Ivi.  10  (9.)  Ixvi.  14  (13.)*  Ixxi.  2.  We  find  here 
accumulated  nearly  all  the  phrases  used  by  David  to  expreii^  the 
same  ideas  elsewhere.  This  is  not  unnatural  if  we  suppose  him 
to  have  been  preparing  a  form  of  complaint  and  supplication  for 
the  use  of  his  successors  in  their  worst  distresses. 

4  (3.)  For  wasted  in  smoke  are  my  days^  and  my  hones,  like 
a  burning  are  kindled.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
xxxvii.  20.  The  bones  are  mentioned  as  the  seat  of  strenoth. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  3  (2.)  xxxi.  11  (10.)  xxxv.  10.  xlii.  11  (10.) 
This  description,  although  stiictly  applicable  to  the  case  of  indi- 
vidual suflferers,  may  also  be  applied  to  the  decline  of  the  theo- 
cratic monarchy  and  the  approach  of  its  catastrophe. 

5  (4.)  Smitten  like  grass  and  withered  is  my  hearty  for  I  hava 
forgotten  to  eat  my  bread.  The  first  verb  is  used  to  describe  the 
eflFect  of  the  sun  on  plants,  Ps.  cxxi.  6.  Isai.  xlix.  10.  (Compare 
Jon.  iv.  7.)  The  heart  is  mentioned  as  the  seat  of  life.  The 
common  version  of  the  last  clause  {so  that  I  forget)  is  ungram- 
matical.  The  failure  of  the  strength  is  rather  described  as  imme- 
diately occasioned  by  the  want  of  food  (1  Sam.  xxviii.  20),  and 
this  by  loss  of  appetite  from  extreme  distress.  See  below,  on  Ps. 
cvii.  18,  and  compare  1  Sam.  i.  Y.  xx.  34.  1  Kings  xxi.  4.  For- 
gotten  to  eat,  VitevnWy,  forgotten  from  eating,  so  as  not  to  eat,  a 
common  idiomatic  use  of  the  preposition //'orm  in  Hebrew. 

6  (5.)  From  the  voice  of  my  groaning,  my  hone  cleaves  to  my 
flesh.  The  word  voice  implies  an  audible  and  loud  expression  of 
distress.  The  first  clause  means,  in  consequence  of  the  agony 
which  makes  me  groan.  My  hone  may  signify  each  of  my  bones, 
or  be  used  collectively  for  the  whole  skeleton  or  framework  of  the 

1* 


lO  PSA.LMCII. 

^ody.  The  only  natural  explanation  of  this  clause  is  that  it 
describes  emaciation,  as  a  consequence  and  symptom  of  extreme 
distress.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  15,  18  (14,  17.) 

7  (6.)  I  resemble  a  pelican  of  the  wilderness  ;  I  am  become  likt 
an  owl  (haunting)  ruins.  The  simple  idea  conveyed  by  these 
figures  is  that  of  extreme  loneliness  and  desolation.  Beyond  the 
fact  that  they  inhabit  solitudes,  the  natural  history  of  the  birds 
■mentioned  is  of  no  exegetical  importance. 

S  (7.)  I  have  watched,  and  have  been  like  a  sparrow  dwelling 
alone  upon  a  hcuse-top.  The  first  words  suggest  the  idea  of  a  soli- 
tary vigil.  As  to  the  word  translated  sparroio^  see  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxxiv.  4  (3.)  The  word  dwelling  is  supplied  in  the  translation 
of  the  last  clause,  in  order  to  retain  the  form  of  the  original  ex- 
pression, which  is  that  of  an  active  participle.  Some  suppose  the 
idea  to  be  that  of  a  bird,  deprived  of  its  mate  or  of  its  young. 

9  (8.)  All  the  day  my  enemies  have  taunted  me,  my  infuriated 
(foes)  swear  by  me.  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  suggests  the 
ideas  of  contempt  and  hatred,  calumny  and  insult.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xlii.  11  (10.)  The  first  word  of  the  last  clause  is  a  pas- 
sive participle,  my  enraged  (or  maddened)  o?ies,  those  who  are  mad 
(i.  e.  insane  with  enmity)  against  me.  The  last  phrase  does  not 
mean  swear  at  me.,  i.  e.  vent  their  rage  by  oaths  and  curses,  nor 
are  stcorn  against  me.,  neither  of  which  is  justified  by  Hebrew 
usage  ;  but  sivear  by  me,  i.  e.  use  me  as  a  formula  of  execration, 
imprecating  upon  others  mib'ery  like  mine.  Compare  Isai.  Ixv. 
]5.  Jer.  xxix.  22.  The  preterite  forms  imply  a  long  previous 
continuance  of  this  furious  persecution,  as  all  the  day  does  its  con- 
stant, unremitted  raging. 

10  (9.)  For  ashes  like  bread  have  I  eaten,  and  my  drink  with 
weeping  have  mixed.     The  ashes,  in  which  he  sat,  or  with  which 


PSALM    CII.  11 

he  was  covered,  as  a  sign  of  mourning,  became  mingled" -witli  liis 
food,  and  his  tears  fell  into  his  drink.  This  last  word  is,  in  He- 
brew, of  the  plural  number,  drinks  or  here,  ages,  analogous  to 
victuals  as  a  simple  synonyme  oi  food.  As  an  opposite  example  of 
the  same  idiomatic  difference,  the  word  translated  ashes  is  a  sin- 
gular in  Hebrew.  The  whole  verse  is  a  strong  poetical  descrip- 
tion of  constant  and  extreme  distress. 

11  (10.)  Because  of  thine  indignation  and  thy  wrath;  for  thou 
host  taken  me  up  and  cast  me  away.  The  first  clause  describes  his 
suffering  as  the  fruit  of  God's  displeasure.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xc.  7.  The  antithesis  presented  in  the  common  version  of  the 
last  clause  {lifted  me  up  and  cast  me  doion)  does  not  seem  to  be 
the  sense  of  the  original,  in  which  there  is  probably  allusion  to 
the  figure  of  a  storm  or  whirlwind  catching  things  up  and  blowing 
them  away.  The  Prayer  Book  version  of  the  first  verb  {taken  me 
up)  is  more  exact. 

12  (11.)  My  days  [are)  like  a  shadow  inclined,  and  I  {myself) 
like  the  grass  loither.  An  inclined  shadoio  is  an  unusual  and  ob- 
scure expression,  but  seems  to  mean  a  shadow  verging  towards  its 
disappearance,  ready  to  vanish  away.  The  double  or  reflexive 
pronoun  {I  myself )  in  the  translation  of  the  last  clause  is  neces- 
sary to  convey  the  full  force  of  the  Hebrew  pronoun,  which  is  sel- 
dom expressed,  except  when  it  is  meant  to  be  emphatic.  1 
wither,  am  withering,  or  about  to  wither. 

13  (12.)  And  thou; Jehovah,  to  eternity  shall  sit,  and  thy  memory 
shall  endure)  to  generation  and  generation.     Here  again  the 

pronoun  is  emphatic,  and  exhibits  a  strong  contrast  between  God's 
eternity  and  human  frailty.  While  I  wither  like  the  grass,  thou 
endurest  forever,  and  not  only  so,  but  reignest,  sittest  on  the 
throne.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  8  (7.)  xxix.  10.  Iv.  20  (19.)  The 
word  memory  seems  here  to  be  employed  for  the  sake  of  the  anti- 


12  PSALM    CII. 

thesis  whicli  it  implies  While  T  perish  and  am  utterly  forg.)tten, 
thy  existence  and  thy  memory  shall  last  forever.  It  may,  how- 
ever, have  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps.  xxx.  5  (4),  namely,  th<3  di- 
vine perfection,  associated  in  our  memory  with  the  name  of  God. 
Thou  shalt  not  only  reign  forever,  but  be  worthy,  as  an  infinitely 
perfect  being,  so  to  do. 

14  (13.)  Thou  vnlt  arise^  wilt  have  mercy  upon  Zion^  when  (it 
is)  time  to  favour  her^  when  the  set  time  is  come.  The  pronoun  is 
again  emphatic.  Thou,  the  God  thus  glorious  and  immutable,  wiit 
certainly  arise  from  this  apparent  inaction,  and  have  mercy  or  com- 
passion on  thy  people,  when  the  time  fixed  in  thy  eteri  al  purpose 
is  arrived.  The  sense  of  when.,  thus  given  to  the  Hebrew  particle 
("13"),  although  less  usual,  is  sometimes  absolutely  necessary,  and 

therefore  admissible  in  this  case,  where  it  suits  the  sense  much 


is 


better  than  the  ordinary  sense  of  for.  Or  the  one  may  be  re- 
solved into  the  other,  by  explaining  the  whole  thus  :  thou  wilt 
certainly  arise  and  have  compassion  upon  Zion,  at  the  proper  time, 
FOR  there  is  a  time  fixed  at  which  thou  dost  design  to  favour  her. 
For  the  meaning  of  the  word  translated  set  time.,  see  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxv.  3  (2.) 

15  (14.)  When  thy  servants  love  her  stones.^  and  her  dust  regatd 
with  favour.  Both  verbs  in  Hebrew  mean  to  favour,  or  more 
strongly,  to  delight  in,  to  take  pleasure  in.  See  above,  Ps.  Ixii. 
5  (4.)  Ixxxv.  2  (1.)  Stones  and  dust  are  here  put  for  ruins  or 
rubbish,  as  in  Neh.  iii.  34  (iv.  2.)  iv.  4  (10.)  The  verse  may 
be  understood  as  a  condition  or  a  premonition  of  her  restoration, 
that  before  it  takes  place,  God  will  fill  his  servants  with  affectionate 
concern  for  her  desolate  condition.  The  same  sense  may  be  ob- 
tained without  departing  from  the  usual  sense  of  the  particle. 
Thou  wilt  have  mercy  upon  Zion,  for  thy  servants  already  look 
with  interest  and  strong  desire  on  her  ruins,  a  sure  sigu  of  the  ap- 
proaching restoration. 


PSALM    CII.  13 

16  (15.)  And  nations  shall  ftar  the  name  of  Jehovah. ^  and  oil 
ungs  of  the  earth  thy  glory.  The  impression  of  awe,  unavoidably 
produced  by  these  exhibitions  of  Jehovah's  attributes,  shall  not  he 
limited  to  Israel  but  extend  to  othej*  nations,  and  even  kings  shall 
vie  with  each  other  in  their  reverential  admiration  of  his  regal 
honours.     Compare  the  similar  expressions  of  Isaiah  (lix.  19.) 

17  (16.)  Because  Jehovah  has  built  Zion  ;  he  has  been  seen  in 
his  glory.  These  are  not  praeterita  prophetica,^  describing  future 
events  as  past ;  nor  are  they  to  be  taken  as  mere  presents,  but  as 
denoting  a  relative  past,  dependent  on  the  futures  of  the  verse 
preceding.  The  nations  and  their  kings  are  to  fear  because  Je- 
hovah has  built  (i.  e.  will  then  have  built)  Zion.  Still  another 
construction  may  seem  possible,  viz.  '  when  Jehovah  has  built 
Zion,  he  shall  be  seen  in  his  glory.'  But  in  this  case,  Hebrew 
usage  would  require  the  last  verb,  if  not  both,  to  ??nye  the  future 
form 

18  (17.)  Ue  has  turned  unto  the  prayer  of  the  destitute.,  and  has 
not  despised  their  prayer.  This  verse  continues  to  as.^^io^ia  the  rea- 
son why  the  nations  and  their  kina;s  will  be  struck  with  awe,  viz. 
because  this  great  and  glorious  God  has  turned  round,  as  it  jvcre, 
and  listened  to  the  prayer  of  the  destitute  and  granted  tfieir  peti- 
tion. The  word  translated  destitute  occurs  only  here  and  in  Jer. 
xvii.  6  ;  but  from  its  etymological  aflSnities  and  its  intensive  form, 
appears  to  mean  stark  naked,  and  then  figuratively,  stripped  of 
every  thing,  impoverished,  entirely  destitute. 

19  (IS.)  This  shall  be  written  for  an  after  generation,  <Mui  a 
fsopk  (yet  to  be)  created  shall  praise  Jah.  This  fulfilment  of  (lod'8 
promise  and  illustration  of  his  attributes  is  left  on  record  for  the 
learning  or  instruction  of  posterity.  Compare  1  Cor.  x.  11.  An 
after  generation,  as  in  Ps.  xlviii.  14  (13.)  Ixxviii.  4.  Equivalent 
in  meaning,  but  abridged  in  form,  is  the  expression  in.  the  passage 


14  PSALM    CII. 

upon  which  these  are  founded,  Ps.  xxii.  31  (30.)  See  also  Ps 
Ixxi.  18.  Created  may  have  the  force  of  a  gerundive,  as  the  pas- 
sive particle  often  has  in  Hebrew  ;  or  it  may  mean  {then)  c?-e.ated 
{but  not  now.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  32  (31.)  As  the  verb 
(h^::)  create  is  applied  only  to  divine  acts,  its  use  here  seems  to 
indicate  that  what  is  meant  is  not'  merely  a  future  generation,  a 
race  yet  to  come  into  existence,  but  a  people  in  the  strict  sense, 
an  organized  body  to  be  formed  hereafter  by  sovereign  authority 
and  almighty  power.  Shall  praise  Jah^  recognize  Jehovah  as 
possessing  and  as  being  all  that  is  denoted  by  his  name. 

20  (19.)  For  he  has  leaned  frovi  the  high-place  of  his  holiness  ; 
Jehovah  from  heaven  to  earth  has  looked.  The  first  word  may 
also  be  translated  that.,  and  the  verse  be  understood  as  an  ampli 
fication  of  the  pronoun  this  at  the  beginning  of  v.  19  (18.)  This 
is  what  shall  be  written  for  a  future  generation ;  this  is  what  they 
fcihall  praise  Jah  for;  viz.  that  he  has  looked,  etc.  To  avoid  the 
repetition  of  the  English  verb,  as  well  as  to  add  life  to  the  de- 
scription, the  Hebrew  verb  is  here  represented  by  what  seems  to 
be  its  primary  meaning.  See  above  on  Ps.  xiv.  2.  Ixxxv.  12  (11), 
and  compare  Deut.  xxvi.  15. 

21  (20.)  To  hear  the  groaning  of  the  prisoner^  to  loose  the  sons 
of  mortality.  The  construction  is  continued  from  the  foregoing 
verse,  and  the  design  of  God's  thus  looking  down  is  stated.  The 
word  translated  groaning  is  almost  peculiar  to  the  psalms  of 
David,  and  according  to  its  etymology  properly  denotes  suffoca- 
tion.  To  loose.,  literally  to  o'pen.,  sometimes  applied  to  the  open- 
ing of  a  dress  for  the  purpose  of  removing  it,  as  in  Ps.  xxx. 
]2  (11)  ;  then  to  the  loosening  of  chains,  as  in  Ps.  cxvi.  16  ;  then 
to  the  deliverance  of  the  prisoner  himself.  Sovs  of  mortality  or 
iKith.,  i.  e.  those  doomed  to  die.      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxix.  11. 

22  (21.)  To  recount  in  Zion  the  naine  of  Jehovah  dnd  his  praise 


PSALM    CI  I.  jg 

m  Jerusalem,  This,  according  to  the  laws  of  Hebrew  syntax, 
do'^s  not  necessarily  denote  an  act  of  God  himself,  as  the  similar 
construction  in  the  -preceding  verse  does,  but  may  have  a  vaauer 
sense  equivalent  to  saying,  ihai  his  name  may  he  declared  in  Zion. 
To  recount  God's  name  is  to  recount  the  mighty  deeds  which 
constitute  it,  and  the  celebration  of  which  constitutes  his  praise. 
Zion  is  still  represented  as  the  great  scene  of  Jehovah's  triumphs^ 
not  however  as  the  capital  of  Israel  or  Judah  merely,  but  as  tho 
radiating  centre  of  religious  light  and  influence  to  all  the  earth. 

23  (22.)  In  the  gathering  of  jieoples  together,  and  kingdoms  to 
serve  Jehovah.  This  verse  is  necessary  to  complete  and  qualify 
the  sense  of  that  before  it.  God  has  looked  down  from  heaven 
to  deliver  his  people  and  receive  their  praise,  not  in  their  secluded, 
insulated  state,  but  in  their  glorious  reunion  with  the  converted 
nations.  The  first  verb  is  a  passive  infinitive  in  Hebrew,  iii  their 
being  gathered.  The  preposition  in  relates  both  to  the  time  and 
to  the  act  of  convocation.  To  serve  Jehovah,  not  only  as  a  King, 
but  as  a  God,  to  be  both  his  subject  and  his  worshipper.  Com 
pare  Ps.  ii.  11. 

24  (23.)  ITe  has  humbled  in  the  way  his  strength ;  .he  has 
shortened  my  days.  l^he  Psalmist  here  resumes  the  tone  of 
complaint,  but  only  for  a  moment,  and  as  an  introduction  to  what 
follows.  Humbled,  weakened,  or  afflicted.  In  or  by  the  way  of 
his  providential  guidance,  as  distinguished  from  the  glorious  end 
to  which  it  led.  His  strength  and  my  days  seem  clearly  to  refer 
to  the  same  person.  To  avoid  this  harsh  enallage,  the  maso 
retic  critics  changed  a  single  letter,  and  for  (ins)  kis  strength 
read  (nria)  my  strength,  which,  though  adopted  in  most  versions, 
is  an  obvious  evasion  of  a  supposed  difficulty.  With  the  lasi 
tlause  compare  Ps.  Ixxxix.  46  (45.)   See  also  Ps.  iv.  24  (23. ) 

'^fi  {24.)   I  will  say,  Oh  my  God,  take  me  not  up  in  tht  halj 


le  PSM.M    CII. 

of  my  days  ;  through  generation  of  generations  (are)  thy  ytarh 
Take  up,  cause  to  ascend,  i.  o.  r\\  some  suppose,  like  smoke, 
which  is  very  forced  and  far-fatoLod.  Others  "make  it  simply  moan 
to  take  away,  which  gives  a  good  (btuse,  but  is  not  sufficiiMitly 
rustained  by  usage.  Better  than  eitVA-^r  is  the  supposition  (hat 
death  or  removal  out  of  life  is  here  de.'i'.ribed  by  a  figure  corre- 
sponding to  the  actual  departizre  of  Enoo)t  and  Elijah.  See  Greu. 
V.  24.  2  Kings  ii.  1,  3,  5,  10,  11.  In  the  half  (or  midst)  of  my 
days  ;  see  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  24  (23),  and  oompare  Isai.  xxxviii. 
10.  Generation  of  generations^  i.  e.  all  gener£;.tions,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxii. 
5.  Isai.  li.  8.  He  prays  that  God,  whose  yean^  are  endless,  would 
not,  as  it  were,  grudge  the  few  dayo  granted  to  iiii  creatures.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxix.  6  (5.) 

26  (25.)  At  first  thou  the  earth  didst  found^  and  the  work 
of  thy  hands  -(are)  the  heavens.  The  phrase  at  (he  beginning 
means  originally  to  the  face^  and  then  before,  as  an  adverb 
both  of  time  and  place  ;  but  this  would  be  ambiguous  here, 
since  it  might  be  understood  as  a  conjunci'iovi,  before  thou  didst 
found  the  earth,  expressing  the  same  idea  as  in  Ps.  xc.  2.  It 
here  means  long  ago,  of  old,  in  the  beginning.  With  the  last 
clause. compare  Ps.  viii.  4  (3.)  xix.  2(1.)  xxxiii.  6.  Grod's  crea- 
tive power  is  here  added  to  his  eternity,  in  order  to  enhance  the 
contrast  between  his  infinity  and  man's  littleness,  t^^  a  reason  fox 
compassion  to  the  latter. 

27  (26.)  They  shall  perish  and  thou  shalt  stand,  and  all  of 
them  like  a  garment  shall  wear  out,  like  a  dress  shalt  thou  chaugi 
them  and  they  shall  change.  The  contrast  is  brought  out  a?  pointedly 
as  possible  in  Hebrew,  by  the  insertion  of  the  pronouns  they  and 
thou,  neither  of  which  is  grammatically  necessary  to  the  expres- 
sion of  the  meaning.  Stand,  stand  fast,  endure,  remain,  continue. 
All  of  them,  without  exception,  even  the  noblest  of  God's  works, 
shall  at  least  lose  their  present  form,  and  in  that  sense  perish,  a 


PSALM    CII.  *7 

sense  which  may  be  still  nioi-e  readily  put  upon  the  parallel  rerb 
pass  away  or  change.  The  twofold  usage  of  the  English  verb,  aa 
active  and  neuter,  or  transitive  and  intransitive,  makes  it  an 
appropriate  representative  of  the  primitive  and  derivative  forms 
of  the  Hebrew  verb  (qbn).  The  corresponding  verb,  in  the 
eecond  member  of  the  sentence,  means  not  only  to  wax  oU, 
but,  as  the  necessary  consequence,  to  wear  out.  See  above  on 
Ps.  xxxii.  3,  and  compare  Ps.  xlix.  15  (14.) 

28  (27.)  A7id  Thou  {art)  lie — and  thy  years  shall  not  hi 
finished.  The  construction  of  the  first  clause  is  disputed.  Some 
read  it.  Thou  thyself  and  thy  years  shall  not  end.  Others,  Thou 
art  the  same.,  giving  jA^n  the  same  sense  with  the  Greek  6  ai'rds, 
which  is  actually  used  here  to  translate  it  in  the  Septuagint.  In 
favour  of  the  version  first  above  given,  is  its  agreement  with  the 
usage  of  the  Hebrew  words,  with  the  analogy  of  Deut.  xxxii.  39 
and  Isai.  xliii.  10,  and  with  the  context  here.  The  meaning 
then  is,  Thou  art  the  Unchangeable  One  just  described.  Or,  it  is 
Thou,  and  nothing  else,  that  shall  thus  endure.  Be  finished., 
spent,  consumed,  as  the  Hebrew  word  invariably  means.  What 
is  elsewhere  literally  said  of  the  violent  destruction  of  human 
life  is  here  transferred  to  the  lapse  of  time. 

29  (28.)  The  sons  of  t-hy  servants  shall  ahide^  and  their  seed 
before  thee  shall  he  estahlished.  '  This  might  also  be  translated  aa 
a  prayer,  let  the  sons  of  thy  servants  conthiue.,  which  is  really 
included  even  in  the  prediction.  Before  thee.,  as  in  G-en.  xvii.  1. 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  37.(36.)  Be  estahlished,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxix.  38  (37.) 
ci.  7.  With  this  conclusion  of  the  whole  psalm  compare  Ps  Ixix 
^6.  37  (35,  36.)  xc.  16,  17. 


18  PSALM  cm. 


PSALM  cm. 

The  Psalmist  calls  upon  himself  to  praise  Grod  for  personal 
favours  already  experienced,  vs.  1-5.  From  these  he  rises,  in 
the  body  of  the  psalm,  to  the  contemplation  of  God's  attributes. 
in  themselves  considered,  and  ajs  manifested  in  his  dealings  with 
his  people,  vs.  6—19.  He  concludes  as  he  began,  witli  an  exhort- 
ation to  bless  God,  no  longer  addressed  merely  to  himself,  but  to 
all  creatures,  vs.  20-22.  According  to  the  exegetical  hypothesis 
already  mentioned,  this  is  the  song  of  mercy  and  judgment  pro- 
mised in  Ps.  ci.  1.  The  arguments  in  favour  of  this  theory  have 
been  already  stated.  The  principal  objection  to  it,  and  that  by 
no  means  a  conclusive  one,  is  the  want  of  unison  and  even  con- 
cord, as  to  tone  and  spirit,  between  the  psalm  before  us  and  the 
two  preceding  it.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  psalm  before  us  is  a 
complete  and  finished  composition,  being  one  of  the  most  simple 
and  yet  regular  in  structure  that  the  book  contains.  This  has 
contributed,  with  other  obvious  peculiarities,  to  make  it  a  favourite 
vehicle  of  thankful  praise  among  the  pious  of  all  ages. 

1.  By  David.  Bless^  oh  my  soul,  Jehovah^  and  all  wiihi7i  me 
(bless)  his  holy  tiame  !  The  attempts  /rhich  have  been  made  by 
modern  critics  to  discredit  the  inscription  in  the  first  clause  chiefly 
consist  in  representing  the  many  imitations  and  allusions  to  this 
Qoble  composition  in  the  later  scriptures  as  a  cento  of  citatiooa 
from  those  scriptures  by  the  writer  of  the  psalm  itself,  a  prepos- 
terous inversion  of  the  laws  of  evidence  to  which  the  neologies? 


FSALM    CHI.  1^ 

critics  are  especially  addicted,  and  by  which  any  thing  and  ever^ 
thing  can  be  disproved  or  proved  at  pleasure.  Bless,  wh(!n  ap- 
plied to  God,  means  to  praise,  but  with  a  strong  implication  of 
devout  affection..  (^By  calling  on  his  soul  to  do  this,  he  acknow- 
ledges his  own  obligation,  not  only  to  praise  God,  but  to  praise 
him  cordially,  with  all  the  hearty  according  to  the  solemn  requisi- 
tion of  the  Law  (Deut.  vi.  5),  to  which  there  is  perhaps  a  refer- 
ence in  all  such  cases..  See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.)  The  pa- 
rallel expression,  all  tuithin  me^  is  the  plural  form  of  one  repeat- 
edly used  elsewhere  and  denoting  the  inside  of  any  thing,  and 
more  especially  of  man,  his  mind  or  heart,  as  distinguished  from 
his  mere  professions  or  external  acts.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  10 
(9. )  xlix.  12  ( 11 . )  The  literal  translation  of  the  form  her^  used  i3 
my  insides  or  inner  parts^  the  strong  and  comprehensive  meaning 
of  the  plural  being  further  enhanced  by  the  addition  of  all,  as  if 
to  preclude  exception  and  reserve,  and  comprehend  within  the 
scope  of  the  address  all  the  powers  and  affections.  His  name  of 
holiness  (or  holy  name),  i.  e.  the  revelation  of  his  infinite  perfec- 
tions.    See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  xxii.  4  (3.) 

2.  Bless,  oh  my  soul,  Jehovah,  and  forget  not  all  his  dealings. 
The  positive  exhortation  is  repeated  as  a  kind  of  foil  to  the  nega 
tive  one  following,  in  which  there  seems  to  be  allusion  to  the  fre- 
quent admonition  in  the  Law  to  Israel,  not  to  forget  the  Lord 
who  brought  him  up  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt.  See  Deut.  vi.  12. 
viii.  11,  14.  The  last  word  in  the  verse  before  us  is  the  passive 
participle  of  a  verb  which  means  to  treat,  and  commonly  to  treat 
loell.  See  above  on  Ps.  vii.  5  (4. J  The  idea  here  conveyed  ia 
that  of  treatment,  determined  by  the  context  to  be  kind  and  gra* 
cious  treatment.  The  latitude  of  meaning  and  the  plural  form 
are  both  represented  in  the  English  word  dealings,  which,  though 
susceptible  of  either  application  can,  in  this  connection^  only  have 
a  good  one. 


20  PSALM    CIII. 

3.  Forgiving  ill  thy  guilty  healing  all  thy  sicknesses  The  par- 
ticiples are  to  be  grammatically  construed  with  Jehovah  a;5  th6 
object  of  the  praise  required,  and  assign  a  reason  for  the  requisi- 
tion, fui'nished  b}'  the  personal  experience  of  the  soul  itself.  The 
orig'ual  expression  is  still  more  definite,  each  participle  having 
tlie  article  prefixed,  the  (one)  forgiving^  the  {one)  healing.  See 
a  similar  construction  carried  out  still  further  in  Ps.  xviii.  33-35 
(32-34),  48-51  (47-50.)  The  last  word  in  the  verse  is  an  un- 
usual one  borrowed  from  Deut.  xxix.  21,  where  sicknesses  are 
ioined  with  plagues  or  strokes,  to  signify  calamities  considered  as 
>enal  inflictions.  The  same  idea  is  expressed  in  other  words, 
Ex.  xvi.  26.  The  relation  of  the  clauses,  in  the  verse  before  us, 
may  be  that  of  cause  and  efiect.  Forgiving  all  thy  guilt  anci 
thereby  removing  all  the  misery  occasioned  by  it. 

4.  Redeeming  from  the  grave  thy  life,  croioning  thee  {with) 
mercy  and  compassions.  The  combination  of  the  article  and  par- 
ticiple is  the  same  as  in  v.  3,  the  {one)  redeeming,  th£.  {one)  crown- 
ing. The  continuation  of  the  sentence  in  this  form  keeps  the^ 
attention  fixed  upon  the  reasons  for  which,  or  the  characters  in 
which,  the  Lord  is  to  be  praised.  As  if  he  had  said.  Bless  him 
as  the  one  forgiving  thee  and  healing  thee,  redeeming  thee  and 
crowning  thee.  Redeeming  means  delivering,  but  with  a  strong 
implication  of  cost  and  risk.  For  the  twofold  sense  of  (rn'r) 
the  word  translated  grave,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  10,  and  com- 
pare Ps.  XXX.  10  (9.)  The  peculiar  form  of  the  possessive  pro- 
noun, in  this  verse  and  the  one  before  it,  has  been  represented  a? 
a'  proof  of  later  date,  but  really  belongs  to  the  dialect  of  poetrj, 
from  which,  in  all  languages,  certain  expressions  are  continually 
passing  into  that  of  common  life,  so  that  what  in  one  age  is  poet- 
ical is  in  the  next  colloquial,  and  seems  therefore  to  belong  to  tlie 
later  period  and  to  show  the  recent  date  of  any  composition  ic 
which  it  occurs.  The  familiar  use  of  such  words  as  oftentimes^ 
perchance,  etc.  in  our  own  d-'y  niay  thus  be  used  hereafter  to  prove 


PSALM    Jill  21 

the  writings  of  oui-  older  poots  spurious.  The  figure  of  crownings 
which  occurs  above  in  Ps.  Ixv,  12  (11),  suggests  the  ideas  of  dig- 
nity and  beauty,  while  the  absence  of  merit  in  the  object,  and  the 
sovereign  freeness  of  the  gift,  are  indicated  by  making  the  crown 
itself  a  crown  of  mercy  and  compassio7is.  The  last  word  in  He- 
brew is  expressive  of  the  warmest  and  tenderest  affections.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  2  (1.)  xxv.  6.  xl.  12  (11.) 

5.  Filling  with  good  thy  soul — (then)  is  renewed^  like  the  eagh 
thy  youth.  The  peculiar  construction  of  the  two  preceding  verse? 
is  continued  through  the  first  clause  of  the  one  before  us,  and  then 
suddenly  abandoned.  Filling,  the  {one)  filling.,  in  the  sense  of 
satisfying  or  abundantly  supplying,  but  without  the  accessory 
notion  of  satiety.  See  above,  on  Ps  Ixxxi.  17  (16.)  xci.  16 
With  good,  literally  the  good.,  by  way  of  eminence,  the  chief  good 
or  the  real  good.  Thy  soul  is  not  a  literal  translation  of  the  He- 
brew term,  which,  in  every  other  case  where  it  occurs,  means  or- 
namcnt  or  decoration.  See  for  example  Ps.  xxxii.  9  (S.)  The 
translations  mouth.,  life.,  etc.  are  gratuitous  conjectares  from  the 
context.  The  best  explanation  is  that  furnished  by  the  analogous 
word  (lin3 )  honour,  g^^^'^'V-,  which  is  sometimes  applied  to  the 
soiil  as  the  nobler  part  of  man.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  9.  This 
explanation  is  confirmed  by  the  frequent  combination  of  the  noun 
%oul  and  the  verb  to  satisfy.  See  above,  Ps.  Ixiii.  6  (5),  and 
below,  Ps.  cvii.  9,  and  compare  Isai.  Iviii.  11.  It  is  also  sanc- 
tioned by  the  ancient  versions  ;  for  although  the  Targum  makes 
it  mean  old  age,  a  palpable  conjecture,  the  Septuagint  and  Vul- 
gate have  desire  (i-irtOuf.ilav.^  desiderium) ,  a  frequent  sense  of 
(dt3)  soul  in  Hebrew,  and  Jerome  translates  it  literally,  orfui" 
menitujn.  The  word  then  is  introduced  into  the  translation  of  the 
second  clause,  in  order  to  retain  the  Hebrew  collocation,  which  h 
not  without  its  emphasis.  Is  renewed,  or  retaining  the  reflexive 
form  of  the  oiiginal,  reniws  itself.  The  supposed  allusion  in  thie 
elause  to  a  fabulous  or  real  renovation  of  the  eagle  in  its  old  age , 


22  PSALM    CIII. 

rests  upon  a  misconception  of  the  language,  as  the  only  point  of 
comparison  with  the  eagle  is  its  strength  and  vigour,  as  in  2  Sam. 
i.  23.  Isai.  xl.  31,  and  the  whole  verse  may  be  paraphrased  as 
follows.  '  So  completely  does  his  bounty  feed  thy  strength,  that 
even  in  old  age  thou  growest  young  again,  and  soarest  like  aa 
eagle.' 

6.  Doing  rigkieousnesses  (is)  Jehovak,  and  judgments  for  all 
oppressed.  Thus  far  the  reasons  urged  for  praising  Grod  were  per- 
sonal, i.  0.  derived  from  individual  experience.  With  these,  from 
the  very  constitution  of  our  nature,  all  our  grateful  exercises  must 
begin.  But  if  genuine  they  do  not  stop  there,  as  the  Psalmist,  at 
this  point,  ascends  from  private  causes  of  thanksgiving  to  more 
general  views  of  Grod's  administration,  as  a  basis  for  the  universal 
call  with  which  the  psalm  concludes.  The  connection  here  may 
thus  be  stated.  '  Such  have  been  the  Lord's  compassions  to  my- 
self, but  these  are  only  samples  of  his  goodness.  He  is  not  only 
merciful  to  me,  but  to  all  who  are  oppressed,  and  to  deliver  whom 
he  executes  his  judgments.'  There  is  no  contrast  here  intended 
between  mercy  and  justice,  with  respect  to  different  objects  of  the 
Lord's  compassion.  The  meaning  is,  that  man's  injustice  is  re- 
dressed by  God's  mercy.  The  redemption  of  his  people  is  often 
represented  as  coincident  wt.th  the  condign  punishment  of  their 
oppressors.  Compare  my  note  on  Isai.  i.  27.  Doings  i  e.  prac- 
Using  in  general,  and  executing  in  particular  cases.  The  partici- 
ple {doing)  signifies  habitual  and  constant  action  ;  the  plural  form 
(righteousnesses)  completeness  and  variety,  adapted  to  all  possible 
emergencies.  Judgments^  as  usual,  denotes  judicial  acts,  as  dis 
tinguished  from  mere  attiibutes  or  principles. 

7.  He  makes  known  his  ways  to  Moses^  to  the  children  of  Israel 
his  (mighty)  deeds.  The  general  statement  of  the  fact  in  the 
preceding  verse  is  now  followed  by  the  great  historical  example 
furnished  in  Jehovah's  dealings  with  his  people.     This  serves, 


PSALM    CIII.  23 

not  only  to  illustrate  what  was  said  before,  but  to  show  that  it 
was  not  a  mere  vague  declaration  of  what  God  will  do  t®  all  men, 
but  a  definite  assertion  of  his  purpose  and  his  practice  with  re- 
spect to  his  own  people.  All  the  oppressed,  to  whom  he  grants 
or  promises  deliverance,  are  not  mankind  in  general,  without  dis- 
tinction cr  exception,  but  his  own  people  when  in  that  condition 
'i'he  first  clause  contains  an  obvious  allusion  to  the  prayer  of 
Moses,  as  recorded  by  himself,  Ex.  xxxiii.  13,  from  which  pasr 
sage  it  appeals,  that  the  ways  of  God,  which  he  desired  to  know, 
were  his  modes  of  dealing  with  his  people,  or  the  course  of  his 
dispensations  towards  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  4.  Ixvii. 
3  (2.)  The  knowledge  thus  imparted  was  experimental  or  af- 
forded by  experience.  The  parallelism  between  Moses  and  the 
Children  of  Israel  shews  that  the  latter  were  represented  by  the 
former.  The  last  Hebrew  word  is  one  constantly  applied  to 
God's  exploits  or  mighty  deeds  in  behalf  of  Israel.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  ix.  12  (11.)  Ixxviii.  11. 

8.  Covipassionate  and  gracious  (is)  Jchovah^sloio  to  a^ige? ,  and 
rich  in  mercy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvii.  10  (9.)  Ixxviii.  38. 
Ixxxvi.  15,  in  all  which  cases,  as  in  this,  the  terms  of  the  de- 
scription are  borrowed  from  Ex.  xxxiv.  6.  There  is  here  an 
evident  progression  in  the  thought.  Not  only  is  God  good  to  me, 
but  to  all  his  people  in  distress ;  not  only  did  he  prove  this  to 
Moses  and  to  Israel  by  saving  them  from  Pharoah  and  their  other 
enemies,  but  by  bearing  with  their  own  offences.  The  previous 
context  might  have  seemed  to  concede  innocence,  if  not  merit,  to 
God's  people,  as  the  object  of  his  kind  regard;  but  they  are  hero 
exhibited  as  sinners,  needing  his  forbearance  and  forgiveness. 

9.  Not  to  perpetuity  will  he  strive^  and  not  to  eternity  retain 
(bis  anger,  j  This  of  course  implies  that  he  is  sometimes  angry, 
even  with  his  people,  and  sometimes  strives  in  opposition  to  their 
strivings  against  him.     "But  as  he  is  always  in  the  right,  and  they 


24  PSALM    cm. 

■* 

are  alwa}^  in  the  wrong,  it  is  a  signal  proof  of  the  d'u'ine  com- 
passion, that  he  does  not  strive  and  is  not  wroth  foreve-r.  The 
first  chmse  is  closely  copied  by  Isaiah  (Ivii.  16.)  The  second  ia 
itself  derived  from  Lev.  xix.  18,  where  we  find  a  verb  meaning  to 
retain  or  reserve  used  absolutely  in  the  sense  of  harbouring  a 
grudge  or  cheiishing  a  secret  spite.  This  remarkable  form  of 
expression  is  copied  in  the  case  before  us  and  in  Nah.  i.  2.  Jer 
iii.  5,  12.  The  original  passage  is  a  prohibition,  in  obeying  which 
the  Lord,  as  it  were,  here  sets  his  people  an  example.  Compare 
Matt.  V.  48.  1  Cor.  xi.  1.  Eph.  v.  1.' 

10.  Not  according  to  our  sins  has  he  done  to  ?f,s,  and  not  ac- 
cording to  onr  iniquities  has  he  dealt  with  us.  That  the  people 
stood  in  need  of  the  divine  forbearance,  is  now  still  more  dis- 
tinctly intimated.  The  last  verb  is  the  one  of  which  the  carticiple 
occurs  in  v.  2,  and  might  here  be  rendered,  with  still  closer  aa 
herence  to  the  strict  sense  of  the  Hebrew  preposition,  has  le  be- 
stowed ujpon  us.  See  the  same  construction  in  the  Hebrew  of 
Ps.  xiii.  6.  cxvi.  7.  cxlii.  8  (7.)  The  past  tense  has  reference  to 
the  previous  history  of  Israel  as  a  nation,  but  involves  the  state- 
ment of  a  general  truth.  At  the  end  of  the  verse,  we  may  sup- 
pose it  to  bo  tacitly  added  :  as  he  might  have  done,  not  only  iv 
strict  justice,  but  in  execution  of  his  express  threatening,  Lev. 
xxvi.  21. 

1 1 ,  For  as  the  heavens  are  high  above  the  earthy  mighty  is  his 
mercy  above  those  that  fear  him.  The  Hebrew  preposition  is  the 
tame  in  both  clauses,  and  cannot  be  varied  in  translation  without 
weakening  the  sentence.  In  the  last  clause  it  suggests  the  ideas 
of  descent  from  above,  superior  power,  and  protection,  in  ad- 
dition to  that  of  mere  relation  or  direction,  which  is  all  that  ia 
conveyed  by  the  translation  to  or  t'^'^amrds.  The  force  of  the 
original  is  likewise  impaired  by  substituting  great  for  strong  or 
eighty.     The  idea  meant  to  be  conveyed  is  not  that  of  me.re 


PSALM    CIII.  25 

extent  but  of  effieiency.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  first  words 
is,  like  the  height  of  the  heavens^  or  like  their  being  high.  His 
fearers^  or  those  fearing  Am,  is  a  common  description  of  the 
righteous  or  God's  people,  who  are  more  particularly  character- 
used  in  V.  18. 


12.  As  far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west^  he  hath  put  far  from  us 
sur  transgressions.  The  form  of  expression  at  the  beginning  is 
the  same  as  in  v.  11,  like  the  distance  of  the  east,  or  like  its  being 
far.  The  Hebrew  words  for  east  and  west^  according  to  their 
etymology,  denote  the  place  of  sunrise  and  the  place  of  evening. 
Put  far  from  us,  as  no  longer  having  anything  to  do  with  us,  a 
figure  which  suggests  the  idea  both  of  pardon  and  renewal,  justifi- 
cation and  sanctification. 

13.  As  Oj  father  has  compassion  on  {his)  children.,  Jehovah  has 
compassion  on  his  fearers.  The  compound  phrase,  has  compassion^ 
is  here  substituted  for  the  simple  verb  pity^  in  order  to  retain  the 
preposition  on,  wLish  follows  it  in  Hebrew,  and  also  because  the 
plural  form  compisilons  was  necessarily  employed  in  v.  4  to  trans- 
late the  cognat?  noun.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  peculiarly  appropri- 
ate in  spealiJr^-  ox  parental  love.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  2 
(1.)  The  preterite  forms  represent  the  fact  alleged  as  one  already 
known  and  well  atissted  by  experience. 

14.  For  he  knov.  our  frame,  mindful  that  dust  {are)  we.  The 
fragility  of  man  X';  here  again  assigned  as  a  ground  of  the  divine 
compassion.  S'y.  ibove,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  39.  Ixxxix.  48  (47.) 
Framc^  formatior.^  constitution,  or  as  we  say  familiarly  in  Eng 
lish,  our  make,  j'  /  build.  The  Hebrew  noun  is  derived  from  tho 
verb  used  in  Ps.  sr  .v.  9,  and  may  therefore  be  intended  to  suggest 
the  same  idea  that  is  there  expressed.  He  who  formed  us  knows 
of  course  how  we  are  formed.  The  same  noun  is  applied  to  the 
moral  constitution,  Gen.  vi.  5,  viii.  21,  Deut.  xxxi.  21.     The  word 

VOL.   HI.         2 


26  PSALM    cm 

translated  mindful  is,  in  form,  a  passive  participle,  ("l^^t)  meaning 
^emembercd^  but  equivalent  in  use  to  the  active,  rememhermg^  or 
the  verbal  adjective  mindful^  just  as  the  like  form  (ni:^)  truUed 
is  equivalent  to  trustmg,  Ps.  cxii.  7,  the  English  rejoiced  t')  re^ 
joicing,  etc.  We  are  dicst,  i.  e.  made  of  it,  and  tending  to  it 
Compare  Gen.  ii.  7,  iii.,  19,  Ps.  xc  3. 

15.  (As  for)  man,  Ms  days  (are)  like  the  grass  ;  like  the  blossom 
of  the  field,  so  he  blossoms.  As  the  preceding  verse  expresses  "the 
fragility  of  man  by  referring  to  his  origin  and  end,  so  this  verse 
does  the  same  by  a  familiar  but  beautiful  comparison,  borrowen 
from  Ps.  xc.  6,  and  repeated  in  Isai.  xl.  6 — 8.  Job  xiv.  2.  The 
very  name  here  given  to  the  race  is  one  denoting  frailty  and  in- 
firmity.    See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4.) 

16.  For  a  breath  passes  over  him  and  he  is  not,  and  no  more 
shall  his  place  know  him.  The  pronouns  may,  with  equal  gram- 
matical correctness,  be  referred  to  the  grass  and  rendered  it,  its. 
The  primary  meaning  of  the  first  noun  {breath)  is,  in  this  con- 
nection, stronger  than  the  secondai-y  {wind.)  The  wind  may  be 
a  whirlwind ;  but  to  say  that  a  mere  breath  is  sufficient  to  de 
3troy  one  is  the  strongest  possible  expi-ession  of  fragility.  Thaf 
the  wind  is  called  the  breath  of  God,  as  the  thunder  is  his  voice, 
is  a  striking  and  poetical  but  needless  supposition.  He  is  not  or 
no  more,  there  is  none  of  him,  no  such  thing  or  person.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxvii.  10.  With  the  first  clause  compare  "Isai. 
xl.  7  ;  with  the  second.  Job  vii.  10.  The  last  verb  means  to 
-recognize  or  know  again,  as  in  Ps.  cxlii.  5  (4),  and  the  whole 
clause,  that  death  makes  men  strangers  to  the  objects  with  which 
they  have  been  most  familiar 

17.  And  the  mercy  of  Jehovah  {is)  from  eternity  even  to 
eternity  upon  those  fearing  him,  and  his  righteousness  to  childreiCt 
child}  en.     Having  carried  the  description  of  man's  frailty  to  the 


PSALM    CIII. 


21 


furthest  point,  the  Psalmist  suddenly  contrasts  with  it  God'a 
everlasting  mercy.  The  use  of  the  simple  copulative  and,  in 
such  a  marked  antithesis,  where  but  might  to  us  seem  indispens- 
able, is  one  of  the  most  striking  and  familiar  Hebrew  idioms. 
Upon  those  fearing  him  suggests  the  idea  of  a  gift  fi-om  above 
7b  children^  children  simply  means  given  (or  belonging^  to 
them  Unless  we  make  the  last  clause  a  threatening  of  hereditary 
vengeance  to  the  wicked,  his  righteousness  can  only  mean  his 
rectitude,  including  his  veracity  and  faithfulness  in  exercising 
covenanted  mercy.      Childreii's  children,  literally,  sons  of  sons. 

18.  To  the  keepers  of  his  covenant,  and  to  the  rememberers  of  his 
laws,  to  do  them.  This  is  the  necessary  qualification  of  a  pro- 
mise which  might  otherwise  have  seemed  too  absolute.  Even  to 
the  descendants  of  those  fearing  him  the  promise  availed  nothing, 
unless  they  themselves  were  faithful  to  his  covenant  and  obedient 
to  his  law.  The  last  words  {to  do  them)  show  that  the  remem 
brance  of  the  law  required  was  not  merely  intellectual  but  practi 
cal  and  tending  to  obedience. 

19.  Jehovah  in  the  heavens  has  fixed  his  throne,  and  his  Mng- 
dom  over  all  rules.  »Not  only  is  he  infinitely  merciful  and  faith- 
ful, but  a  universal  and  almighty  sovereign,  no  less  able  than 
willing  to  fulfil  his  promises,  and  execute  his  purposes  of  mercy. 
The  word  translated  fixed,  like  its  English  representative,  sug- 
gests the  two  ideas  of  preparing  and  establishing.  The  same 
combination  with  throne  occurs  above,  Ps.  ix.  8  (7.)  See  also 
Ps.  xi.  4.  xlvii.  9  (8.)  .  Over  all ;  the  original  expression  is  still 
stronger,  over  the  whole,  the  universe,  to  nav.  The  same  phrase 
is  applied  to  the  entire  human  race,  Ps.  xiv.  3.  The  past  tense 
of  the  last  verb  represents  this  unlimited  dominion  as  already 
established  or  revealed.  The  future  would  have  made  its  ulterior 
continuance  the  prominent  idea. 


28  PSALM    cm. 

20.  Bless  Jehovah.,  ye  his  angels,  mighty  in  stiength,  doing  his 
trord,  (so  as)  to  listen  to  the  voice  of  his  word.  Having  finished 
bis  assertion  of  God's  claims  to  universal  praise,  the  Psalmist 
resumes  the  tone  of  exhortation  with  which  he  began.  His  appeal, 
however,  is  no  longer  to  his  own  soul,  but  to  the  hosts  of  heaven, 
the  noblest  of  God's  creatures,  the  highest  wder  of  finite  intel- 
ligences. Mighty  in  strength,  more  exactly,  mighty  (ones)  oj 
strength,  or,  as  the  first  word  is  applied  as  a  substantive  ta 
warriors  or  conquerors,  heroes  of  strength  or  mighty  heroes.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  8.  Ixxviii.  25.  The  construction  in  the  last 
clause  is  obscure.  The  infinitive  may  here  have  the  force  of  a 
gerund,  audiendo,  auscultando,  by  listening  to  the  voice  of  his 
word,  or,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxviii.  18,  it  may  denote  the  extent  or  the 
efi'ect  of  their  obedience,  so  as  to  hearken,  or  so  that  they  hearken, 
i.  e.  listen  for  the  faintest  intimation  of  his  will.  The  expression 
hearken  to  his  voice,  as  thus  applied,  is  a  Mosaic  one.  See  Deut. 
xxvi.  17.  XXX.  20. 

21.  Bless  Jehovah,  ye  his  hosts,  his  ministers,  the  doers  of  his 
will.  As  the  word  hosts  is  applied  both  to  the  angels  and  the 
heavenly  bodies  (see  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  10),  some  interpreters, 
in  order  to  relieve  this  verse  of  a  tautology,  suppose  it  to  relate  to 
the  heavenly  hosts  in  one  sense,  as  the  preceding  verse  does  in 
another.  In  the  same  way  they  account  for  the  change  of  ex- 
pression in  the  last  clause.  Only  intelligent  creatures  can  be 
literally  said  to  listen  for  God's  word  and  to  obey  it ;  but  even 
the  inanimate  creation  may  be  said,  without  a  metaphor,  to  exe- 
cute his  will.      This  last  phrase  occurs  also  in  Ps.  xl.  9  (8.) 

22.  Bless  ye  .Tehovah,  all  his  works,  in  all  places  of  his  realm  ; 
bless  thou,  m,  my  soul,  Jehovah  !  The  angels  and  heavenly  bodies, 
with  men  and  every  other  creature,  are  now  si. aimed  up  in  the 
comprehensive  phrase,  aZZ  his  works,  i.  e.  all  that  he  has  made, 
all  creatures,   and   invited  to   bless  God,  which   invitation    the 


ALM    (J  IV.  29 

Psalmist  then  addresses  once  more  to  himself,  and  thus,  by  a 
beautiful  transition,  brintjs  us  back  to  the  point  from  which  we 
started. 


PSALM    CIV. 

"We  have  here  another  of  those  psalms,  in  which  the  hopes  of 
God's  people  are  excited  and  their  faith  strengthened  by  a  view 
of  the  authority  and  providential  care  which  he  exercises  over  the 
creation.  The  sum  of  the  whole  psalm  is  contained  in  the  first 
verse,  and  its  application  indicated  in  the  last.  Here,  as  in  Ps. 
viii,  xix,  xxix,  Ixv,  the  description  of  God's  glory,  as  exhibited  in 
nature,  is  entirely  subservient  to  a  moral  and  religious  purpose, 
and  the  psalm  is  therefore  fully  entitled  to  a  place  in  the  collec- 
tion, and  adapted  to  the  permanent  use  of  the  church  The  ar 
rangement  of  the  psalm  is  founded  on  the  history  of  the  creation, 
but  with  such  variations  as  were  suited  to  the  writer's  purpose. 
After  a  general  statement  of  this  purpose,  v.  I,  the  Psalmist 
traces  the  creative  and  providential  agency  of  God  in  the  works  of 
the  first  and  second  day,  vs.  2 — 5,  then  in  that  of  the  third,  vs. 
6 — 18,  then  in  that  of  the  fourth,  vs.  19 — 23,  then  in  that  of  the 
fifth,  vs.  24 — 26,  with  an  allusion  to  the  rest  of  the  seventh  day 
in  V.  31.  The  psalm  closes  with  a  summary  statement  of  the  de- 
pendence of  all  living  creatures  upon  God's  care  and  bounty,  vs. 
27 — 32,  a  resolution  to  glorify  him  accordingly,  vs.  33 — 34,  and 
a  pregnant  inference,  that  they  who  are  under  such  protection 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  human  enemies,  v.  35.  According  to 
Hengst(3cberg,  this  and  the  two  next  psalms  compose  a  trilogy 


30  PSALM    CIV. 

added  to  the  Davidic  one  immediately  preceding  (Ps.  ci — ciii) 
about  the  time  of  the  Babylonish  exile.  This  hypothesis,  he 
thinks,  accounts  for  the  occurrence  of  Davidic  psalins  in  this  part 
of  the  Psalter,  which  would  otherwise  have  found  their  place 
amonor  the  Psalms  of  David  in  the  first  division  of  the  book. 
But  having  been  made  the  basis  or  ths  nucleus  of  later  compo- 
sitions, they  were  naturally  placed  with  these  in  their  proper 
chronological  position. 

1.  JBless^  oh  my  soid,  Jehovah  !  Oh  Jehovah^  my  God^  thou  art 
great  exceedirtgly  ;  honour  and  majesty  hast  thou  'put  on.  The 
resemblance  of  the  first  clause  to  Ps.  ciii.  1  shows  the  designed  con- 
nection of  the  two  psalms.  The  remainder  of  the  verse  is  a  kind  of 
response  to  this  invocation,  and  contains,  as  it  were,  the  words  in 
which  his  soul  does  actually  bless  God.  At  the  same  time  it  ex- 
hibits in  advance  the  sum  and  substance  of  the  whole  composition, 
the  design  of  which  is  to  describe  the  glories  of  creation  and 
providence  as  the  royal  robe  of  the  divine  sovereign.  Compare 
Ps.  xlv.  4  (3.)  xciii.  1.  xcvi.  6.  Job  xl.  10.  Isai.  li.  9. 

2.  Wearing  light  lihe  a  robe,  spreading  hea.ven  like  a  curtain. 
In  cariying  out  the  idea  summarily  stated  in  the  first  verse,  he 
begins  where  the  cosmogony  in  Genesis  begins,  with  the  light  and 
the  firmament,  not  the  act  of  their  creation,  but  their  use,  as  the 
Creator's  robe  and  curtain.  It  follows  of  course  that  light  and 
heaven  must  be  taken  in  their  popular  and  ordinary  sense,  and 
not  as  denoting  the  heaven  of  heavens  and  the  light  ioaccessibJe 
in  which  he  is  elsewhere  represented  as  dwelling.  The  definite 
forms  of  the  original,  the  robe,  the  curtain,  as  contrasted  with  the 
vaguer  forms,  light,  heaven,  may  be  intended  to  suggest  the  idea 
of  the  robe  and  curtain  known  and  used  in  common  lifu,  which  man 
puts  on  and  stretches  out  with  perfect  ease,  but  not  more  easily 
than  God  puts  on  the  light  and  stretches  out  the  sky.  Comparo 
uen  i.  6.  Isai.xl.  22.  Job.  ix.  8. 


PSALM    CIV.  31 

3.  Framing  with  wafer  his  halls  ;  7na,king  clouds  his  convey^ 
ance  ;  vioving  .on  wings  of  the  toind.  The  first  word  means 
laying  beams  or  rafters.  The  next  phrase  may  either  mean  in 
or  loith  water.  The  first  is  more  obvious,  the  last  more  striking, 
as  it  represents  a  solid  building,  made  of  a  liquid  or  fluid  ma- 
terial. In  the  other  case  the  waters  meant  are  those  above  the 
firmament.  See  Gen.  i.  6,  7.  Ps.  xviii.  \2  (11  j,  where  the  clouds 
and  the  wings  of  the  wind  are  also  mentioned  in  the  same  con- 
nection. The  word  translated  halls  denotes  the  highest  room  of 
an  oriental  house,  which  is  frequently  the  largest.  Hence  the 
frequent  mention,  in  the  New  Testament,  of  the  iineQi^ov  as  a 
place  of  assembly.  Making.,  literally,  setting,  placing.  Chariot 
is  too  specific  a  translation  of  the  Hebrew  word,  which  means 
anything  on  which  a  person  rides.  The  preposterous  figure  of 
walking  on  wings  belongs  entirely  to  the  versions,  ancient  and 
modern.  The  Hebrew  word,  though  often  so  applied,  is  a 
generic  one,  denoting  all  progressive  movement,  and  nearly 
equivalent  to  our  word  going.,  which  is  not  so  agreeable,  however, 
in  this  place,  to  English  usage,  as  the  more  general  and  poetical 
term  moving.     See  above,*on  Ps.  xviii.  11  (10.) 

4.  Making  his  angels  tmids^  his  ministers  Jlaming  fire.  Ac- 
cording to  the  simplest  and  most  obvious  construction  of  this 
verse,  it  can  only  mean  that  Grod  makes  his  angels  or  ministering 
spirits  swift  and  ardent  in  his  service.  But  such  a  statement 
would  be  wholly  out  of  place  in  a  psalm,  the  rest  of  which  relates 
exclusively  to  the  material  creation.  The  best  interpreters  are 
therefore  of  opinion  that  angels  and  ministers  are  predicates  not 
subjects,  or  in  other  words,  that  the  idea  meant  to  be  conveyed  is, 
that  he  makes  the  \*inds  his  messengers  or  angels,  and  the  flam-' 
lag  fire  his  minister  or  servant.  .This  agrees  exactly  with  the 
nrevious  declaration  that  he  makes  the  clouds  his  chariot  or  con- 
veyance, and  moves  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind.  It  may  ?(^em, 
luiwo'^er,  '^  be  iuconrdstent  with  the  use  mado  of  the  passage  iu 


S2  PSALM    CIV. 

Ht'b.  1.  7,  as  a  proof  that  the  angels  are  inferior  to  the  Son  Oi 
God.  But  how  could  this  inferioiity  be  proved  bj  the  fact  that 
the  angels  are  spirits,  or  even  wind  and  fire  ?  The  latter  cannot 
be  literally  true,  and  if  metaphorical,  can  only  mean  that  they 
are  swift  and  ardent  in  God's  service,  which  they  might  be  and 
yet  equal  to  the  Son  in  nature,  who,  considered  as  a  messenger 
or  agent  of  the  Father,  exhibits  precisely  the  same  qualities. 
The  truth  is  that  the  passage,  as  thus  understood,  is  perfectly 
irrelevant  and  useless  to  the  argument,  and  therefore  that  Ihis 
mode  of  explaining  it  is  not  entitled  to  the  preference,  what- 
ever difiiculties  may  attend  the  other.  Let  it  be  observed,  too, 
that  the  Septuagint  version,  which  is  quoted  in  Heb.  i.  7,  is  an 
exact  transcript  of  the  Hebrew,  both  as  to  the  sense  and  colloca- 
tion of  the  words,  so  that  if  the  original  admits  of  a  different  con- 
struction, it  may  be  extended  to  the  version  likewise.  The  most 
satisfactory  conclusion  is,  that  the  words  are  not  quoted  as  an 
argument  or  proof  of  the  inferiority  of  angels,  but  merely  as  a 
striking  yet  familiar  form  of  words  in  which  to  clothe  the  writer's 
own  idea,  which  is  this,  that  angels  are  mere  messengers  and 
ministers,  and  as  such  may  be  classed  with  the  material  agencies 
which  God  employs  in  execution  of  his  purpose.  The  wind  and 
the  lightning  are  God's  angels  and  his  ministers,  and  are  ex- 
pressly so  described  in  the  Old  Testament ;  but  they  are  nevei 
called  his  sons,  much  less  addressed  directly  as  the  sovereign, 
eternal,  righteous,  ever-blessed  God.  Nor  are  the  ministering 
spirits,  who  share  with  these  material  agencies  the  character  of 
messengers  and  servants,  ever  so  described  or  so  addressed.  By 
thus  supplying  the  suppressed  links  of  the  chain  of  argument,  tho 
verse  before  us,  in  the  only  sense  of  which  the  context  really  ad- 
mits, will  be  found  not  only  as  appropriate  as  the  other  to  the 
purpose  for  which  it  is  quoted  yi  the  New  Testament,  but  incom- 
parably more  so. 

5.  He  founded  the  earth  on  its  bases  ;  it  bhall  not  be  moved  for  ■- 


PSALM    CIV,  j;5 

tvtr  and  ever.  The  idea  of  Jascs  is  rather  sugsrested  by  the  con- 
text, and  especially  the  verb  founded^  than  expressed  by  the 
Hebrew  noun  itself,  which  properly  means  places.,  or  more  specifi- 
cally, fixed  and  settled  places.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  15  (14.) 
xcvii.  2,  and  with  the  whole  verse  compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  69.  Ixxsii. 
12  (11.)  cii.  26  (25.; 

6.  (With)  the  deep.,  like  a  garment.,  thou  didst  cover  it ;  above 
the  mountains  stand  the  waters.  Next  in  importance  to  the  separ- 
ation of  the  land  and  water  in  the  beginning  (Gen.  i.  9,  10), 
was  the  temporary  confounding  of  the  two  in  the  universal 
deluge  (Gen.  v'u.  19,  20),  which  the  Psalmist  therefore  here  con- 
nects with  the  creation,  as  equally  demonstrative  of  almighty 
power,  and  also  for  the  purpose  of  founding  on  this  seeming  vio- 
lation of  the  promise  in  the  last  clause  of  v.  5,  a  still  more 
solemn  repetition  of  it.  The  grammatical  objection  that  the 
pronoun  in  the  phrase  didst  cover  it  is  masculine,  and  cannot 
therefore  refer  to  earth  which  is  feminine,  is  easily  removed  by  a 
reference  to  the  genei-al  license  of  the  Hebrew  syntax  with  re- 
spect to  genders,  and  the  idiomatic  tendency  to  use  the  mascu- 
line, not  as  a  distinctive  but  as  a  generic  form,  in  cases  where  the 
subject  is  sufficiently  indicated  by  the  context.  There  are  more- 
over several  clear  examples  of  the  masculine  construction  of  this 
very  noun  (f^J*)  besides  those  in  which  earth  or  land  is  put  for 
its  inhabitants.  See  e.  g.  Gen.  xiii.  6.  Isai.  ix.  IS.  The  allu- 
sion in  the  last  clause  to  Gen.  vii.  19,  20,  is  too  plain  to  be  mis 
taken. 

7.  At  thy  rebuke  they  flee.,  at  the  voice  of  thy  thunder  they  hasten 
aicay.  The  same  power  that  produced  the  deluge  put  an  end  to 
it.  The  verbs  agree  with  loaters  in  v.  6.  The  divine  command 
that  they  should  cease  or  disappear  is  poetically  spoken  of  as  a 
rebuke.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  16  (15.)  Ixxvi.  7  (6),  and  com- 
pare Isai.  1.  2.     The  Hebrew  particle  meams  from,  denoting  both 

2* 


U  PSALM    CIV. 

the  time  and  cause  of  the  effect  described.  The  last  verb  is  a 
passive  meaning  strictly  to  be  panic-struck,  or  to  flee  in  conse- 
quence of  being  panic-struck.  See  above,  on  Vs.  xxxi.  23  (22.) 
xlviii.  6  (5.)  The  voice  of  thy  thunder  may  be  literally  under- 
Bt«od  to  mean  the  sound  of  thunder,  or,  according  to  a  well-known 
Hebrew  idiom,  thy  voice  of  thunder,  cr  thy  thundering  voice. 

8.  They  go  up  mo^tntains,  they  go  down  valleys,  to  this  place 
thou  hast  founded  for  them.  The  first  clause  is  a  beautiful  de- 
scription of  the  fluctuations  which  attend  the  subsidence  of 
swollen  waters,  not  only  in  the  case  Of  Noah's  flood  (Gen.  viii. 
4 — 5)  to  which  the  words  relate  in  the  first  instance,  but  in  all 
other  cases,  where  the  same  rule  still  holds  good,  so  that  the 
verse,  by  an  insensible  transition,  founds  the  statement  of  a  gen- 
eral truth  on  that  of  a  particular  event.  The  use  of  the  de- 
monstrative {this)  is  highly  idiomatic.  The  original  construc- 
tion is,  to  a  place,  this  (tohich)  thou  hast  founded  for  them.  This 
form  of  expression  is  equivalent  to  pointing  with  the  hand,  and 
therefore  adds  not  a  little  to  the  graphic  vividness  of  the  descrip- 
tion. 

9.  A  hound  thou  didst  set,  they  shall  not  pass  over,  they  shall 
not  return  to  cover  the  earth.  This  grand  exception  to  the  law 
which  governs  the  relations  between  land  and  water  is  the  only 
one  to  be  permitted  or  expected.  The  limits  broken  were  re- 
newed with  an  assurance  that  henceforth  they  should  be  inviol- 
able. See  Gen.  ix.  15.  Besides  the  immediate  reference  to  the 
flood,  the  verse  contains  the  gtatcment  of  a  general  fact  in  the 
economy  of  nature,  and  thus  furnishes  a  natural  transition  to  the 
yimilar  statements  of  the  next  verse. 

10.  Sending  springs  into  the  valleys  ;  betiveen  hills  they  go. 
The  participial  construction,  interrupted  by  the  parenthetical  ac- 
lour^  of  the  flood,  is  here  resumed,  the  participle,  like  the  others, 


PSALM    CIV.  ^i 

agreehig  directly  with  Jehovah  understood,  as  ike  (one)  sending^ 
which  is  the  precise  form  of  the  original.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ciii, 
3 — 6.  Springs  or  foumtains^  not  in  the  restricted  sense,  but 
comprehending:  both  the  source  and  stream,  as  in  Joel  iv.  IP 
(iii.  18.)  The  word  translated  valleys  is  restricted  in  usage  to 
such  as  have  streams  flowing  through  them.  The  last  word  is  the 
one  translated  walketh  by  the  English  Bible  in  v.  3  above,  but 
here  rwn^  although  walk  is  given  in  the  margin,  as  a  more  pre- 
cise and  literal  translation,  while  Jerome  inserts  it  in  his  text,  ut 
inter  medios  mantes  ambulent. 

11.  T/fcy  water  every  beast  of  the  field  ;  (at  them)  wild  asses 
quench  their  thirst.  The  subject  of  the  first  verb  is  still  the 
waters.  The  verb  itself  means  to  water.,  in  the  sense  of  giving 
drink  to  animals,  though  sometimes  metaphorically  applied  to 
'.rrigation.  See  Gen.  ii.  10.  The  form  of  the  parallelism  in  this 
rerse  is  peculiar,  although  not  uncommon  in  Hebrew  poetry,  the 
last  clause  containing  a  specification  of  the  general  statement  in 
ihe  first.  What  is  first  said  of  animals,  or  wild  ones  in  the  gen- 
eral, is  then  said  of  the  wild  ass  in  particular.  Quench,  literally, 
break.,  i.  e.  subdue,  assuage.  A  derivative  noun  is  applied  in 
Hebrew  to  corn  or  grain,  as  that  which  breaks  or  assuages  hunger, 
although  most  interpreters  and  lexicographers  suppose  a  reference 
to  the  literal  breaking  or  grinding  of  the  corn  itself. 

12.  Above  them  the  birds  of  heacen  dinell,  from  between  the 
branches  they  give  voice.  The  poetical  character  of  the  compo- 
sition is  in  nothing  more  obvious  than  in  these  minute  strokes  of 
exquisite  painting,  superadded  to  the  more  essential  parts  of  the 
description.  At  the  same  time,  these  are  not  to  be  regarded  as 
mere  lavish  or  gratuitous  embellishments,  since  the  Psalmist's 
purpose  is  to  celebrate  God's  wonderful  and  bountiful  provision 
for  his  living  creatures,  and  the  running  brooks  would  fail  to  an- 
iswer  one  of  their  most  valuable  ends,  i-f  there  were  no  birds  to  g^ire 


36  PSALM    CIV. 

voice  or  sins:  amono;  the  branches  of  the  overhano-insj  trees.  Tha 
word  translated  birds  is  a  collective  answering  to  the  old  P^nglish 
fowl^  not  as  used  in  the  version  of  this  psalm,  where  it  is  plural, 
but  in  that  of  Gen.  i.  20,  22,  26,  28.  That  passage  furnishes  an 
explanation  of  the  phrase  fowl  (or  birds)  of  heaven,  in  the  fuller 
description  (Gren  i.  20),  fowl  that  may  fly  above  the  earth  in  the 
open  firmament  of  heaven,  i.  e.  through  the  air,  across  the  face  of 
the  expanse  or  visible  heaven. 

13.  Watering  mountains  from  his  ujpjper  rooms — frcm  the  fruit 
oj  thy  ivorks  is  the  earth  filed.  He  still  returns  to  (iod  as  the 
author  of  these  merciful  provisions,  and  represents  him,  by  a 
beautiful  figure,  as  pouring  this  abundant  supply  of  water  from 
his  upper  rooms,  the  same  word  that  was  rendered  halls  in  v.  3  ; 
but  here  the  connection  seems  to  require  that  its  precise  etymo- 
logical import  should  be  prominent.  The  fruit  of  thy  works,  the 
result  or  product  of  thy  creative  energy.  Filled,  not  in  the. sense 
of  being  occupied,  which  would  require  a  different  Hebrew  verb, 
but  in  that  of  being  abundantly  supplied  or  saturated.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  ciii.  5.  The  sudden  apostrophe  to  God  himself 
enhances  the  poetical  effect. 

14.  Causing  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle  and  herb  for  t^ie 
culture  of  man,  (so  as)  to  bring  forth  bread  from  the  earth.  In 
this  verse  there  is  a  transition  from  God's  care  of  the  inferior  ani- 
mals to  his  care  of  man.  The  word  translated  herb  denotes  any 
green  plant  or  vegetable,  and  is  here  applied  to  such  as  constitute 
or  furnish  human  food.  The  common  version  of  the  next  words, 
for  the  service  of  man,  can  only  mean  for  his  benefit  or  use,  a 
sense  not  belonging  to  the  Hebrew  yrord,  which,  as  well  as  its  verbal 
root,  is  applied  to  man's  servitude  or  bondage  as  a  tiller  of  the 
ground  (Gen.  iii.  17 — 19),  and  has  here  the  sense  of  husbandry 
■ar  cultivation,  as  in  Ex.  i.  14.  Lev.  xxv.  39,  it  has  that  of  com- 


PSALM    CIV.  37 

pulsory  or  serTilo  labour.     The  infinitive  in  the  last  clause  indi- 
cates  the  object  for  which  labour  is  imposed  on  man. 

15.  And  wine  gladdens  the  heart  of  man — (so  as)  to  make  kk 
face  shine  more  than  oil — and  bread  the  heart  of  man  sustains. 
The  general  expression  at  the  end  of  v.  14  is  now  rendered  more 
specific  by  distinctly  mentioning  the  great  staples  of  production 
and  subsistence  in  the  Holy  Land.  The  only  doubt  is  whether 
two  or  three  are  mentioned.  The  text  of  the  English  Bible 
makes  oil  a  distinct  item  in  the  catalogue,  and  oil  to  make  his  face 
to  shine.  But  this  is  an  impossible  construction  of  the  Hebrew, 
in  which  the  infinitive  {to  make  shine)  bears  the  same  relation  tc 
^hat  goe-s  before  as  the  infinitive  [to  bring  forth)  in  the  verse  pre> 
ceding,  and  is  therefore  expressive  not  of  a  distinct  cause  and 
effect,  but  of  a  consequence  resulting  from  the  one  just  men- 
tioned. The  true  construction  is  given  in  the  margin  of  the 
English  Bible,  to  make  his  face  shhie  with  oily  or  more  than  oil. 
To  the  first  of  these  alternative  translations  it  may  be  objected 
that  wine  cannot  make  men's  faces  shine  with  oil,  unless  there  is 
allusion  to  the  festive  unctions  of  the  ancients,  which  however 
were  restricted  to  the  head.  The  other,  therefore,  seems  to  bo 
the  true  sense,  in  which  oil  is  merely  mentioned  as  a  shining  sub- 
stance. The  description  of  food  as  sustaining  the  heart  is  very 
ancient.     See  Gren.  xviii.  5.  Judg.  xix.  8. 

16.  Full  are  the  trees  of  Jehovah;  the  cedars  of  Lebanon  which 
he  'planted.  Full,  i.  e.  abundantly  supplied,  saturated  as  in  v.  13 
The  English  versions  supply  sap  ;  but  the  idea  suggested  by  the 
context  is  the  more  a^neral  one  of  moisture,  irrigation.  The 
mutual  relation  of  the  clauses  is  the  same  as  in  v.  11.  What  is 
first  said  of  trees,  or  of  the  noblest  trees,  in  general,  is  then  said 
of  the  cedars  in  particular.  The  trees  of  Jehovah.,  like  the  cedars 
of  God  in  Ps.  Ixxx.  11  (10),  are  those  which  he  has  planted 
(Num.  xxiv.  6),  those  which,  by  their  loftiness  or  fruitfulness  of 


38  PSALM    CIV. 

beauty,  bear  the  strongest  impress  of  their  Maker's  hand.  The 
zedars  of  Lebanon  are  often  mentioned  as  the  noblest  and  nriost 
*amous  of  their  kind.      See  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  5.  xcii.  13  (12.) 

17.  Where  the  {small)  birds  nestle;  (as  to)  the  stork,  the 
cypresses  (are)  her  house.  He  again  recurs  to  the  provision  made 
for  birds,  which  is  here  connected  with  the  trees,  as  it  is  in  v.  12. 
The  word  translated  birds  is  not  the  one  there  used,  but  the  same 
with  that  in  Ps,  Ixxxiv.  4  (3.)  cii.  7,  where  it  is  commonly  trans- 
lated sparrow,  though  supposed  to  be  a  general  term  for  small 
birds,  so  called  from  their  chirping,  twittering  noise.  Here  it 
may  represent  the  si^ialler  and  the  stork  the  larger  class  of  birds - 
The  Hebrew  name  of  the  stork  means  merciful  or  pious,  and  ia 
supposed  to  have  reference  to  the  natural  kindness  of  that  bird, 
both  to  its  parents  and  its  young.  Nestle  or  build  their  nests. 
The  choice  between  the  old  translation,  ^r-^rees,  and  the  new  one, 
cypresses,  is  exegetically  unimportant. 

18.  Mountains,  the  high  (ones),  are  for  the  wild-goats — rocks 
(are)  a  refuge  for  the  conies.  The  idea  seems  to  be,  that  even 
the  wildest  situations,  and  the  most  inaccessible  to  man,  afford 
shelter  and  subsistence  to  some  form  of  life,  and  are  therefore 
proofs  of  the  divine  benevolence  and  wisdom.  Of  the  names  of 
animals  here  mentioned,  the  first  occurs  also  in  the  book  of  Job 
(xxxix.  1)  ;  the  second  in  the  lists  of  unclean  beasts,  Lev.  xi.  5. 
Dcut.  xiv.  7  ;  and  both  in  the  writings  of  Solomon,  Prov.  v.  19. 
jtxx.  26.  Of  the  second,  various  explanations  have  been  given, 
but  none  of  them  more  probable  than  that  derived  from  the  rab- 
binical tradition.  Nor  is  the  question  of  tlie  slightest  exegetical 
importance,  since  the  only  peculiarities  involved  are  those  sug- 
gested by  the  text  itself,  to  wit,  that  the  animals  intended  must  be 
Buch  as  inhabit  rocks  and  mountains.  Some  supply  a  refuge  in  the 
first  clause  from  the  second  ;  but  a  better  sense  is  yielded  by  the 
simpler  construction,  they  belong  to  (or  are  intended  for)  the  wild 


PSALM    CIV.  39 

goats,  which  agrees  exactly  with  the  drift  of  the  whole  psahn  to 
show  that  all  parts  of  the  inanimate  creation  contribute  something 
to  the  comfort  of  the  living  sentient  creature. 

19.  lie  made  the  moon  for  seasons ;  thz  sun  knows  his  setting 
Even  the  heavenly  bodies  have  a  reference  to  man's  advantacre. 
The  moon  is  a  measure  of  time,  and  the  sun  defines  the  period  Oi 
active  labor.  The  word  translated  seasons  is  the  plural  of  the  one 
translated  set  time  in  Ps.  Ixxv.  3  (2.)  cii.  14,  and  the  same  that 
means  assemblies  in  Ps.  Ixxiv.  4,  8.  It  is  here  put  for  all  divi- 
sions of  time,  including  the  succession  of  day  and  night,  to  which 
there  is  perhaps  a  special  reference,  as  in  the  other  clause,  where 
the  meaning  seems  to  be,  that  the  sun  knows  when  and  where  to 
set,  and  does  not  make  the  day,  with  its  attendant  toils,  perpetual. 
This  is  a  strong  poetical  description  of  an  obvious  and  familiar 
fact,  and  no  more  presupposes  a  particular  theory  or  system  of 
astronomy  than  the  similar  language  of  uninspired  poets  among 
ourselves. 

20.  Thou  makest  darkness  and  it  is  night ;  in  it  begins  to  move 
every  beast  of  the  forest.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  means  to  set 
or  place,  but  is  used  precisely  as  a  word  of  the  same  meaning  is 
in  V.  3.  Its  abbreviated  form  does  not  indicate  an  optative 
meaning,  but  is  substituted  for  the  full  form  by  poetic  license. 
ft  is  night,  or  night  is,  night  begins  to  be.  The  same  inceptive 
meaning  is  expressed  in  the  translation  of  the  third  verb,  which 
denotes  animal  motion,  but  is  specially  applied  to  that  of  reptiles. 
The  idea  of  a  secret,  stealthy  motion,  as  suggested  by  the  com- 
mon version  {do  creep  forth),  can  hardly  be  intended,  as  the  con- 
text shows  the  main  idea  of  the  passage  to  be  this,  that  as  the 
day  affords  a  time  for  active  motion  to  mankind  and  to  domestic 
animals,  the  night  affords  a  like  time  for  the  wilder  beasts,  or 
beasts  of  the  forest,  an  expression  which  occurs  above,  in  Ps. 
I.  10 


^0  PSALM    CIV. 

21.  The  young  lions  roaring  for  the  prey^  and  to  seek  from 
God  ihcir  food.  By  translating  the  participle  and  infinitive  both 
arf  presents,  the  common  version  makes  this  a  distinct  propo^ 
(sition.  But  in  Hebrew  it  forms  part  of  the  preceding  sentence, 
and  contains  a  specification  of  the  general  statement  there  made. 
When  night  comes  on,  all  the  beasts  of  the  forest  are  aroused, 
and  among  the  rest  the  lion,  roaring  for  his  prey,  (is  roused)  to 
seek  his  food  from  God.  This  last  expression  implies  no  such 
purpose  on  the  lion's  part,  but  merely  that  he  seeks  what  can  only 
be  bestowed  by  an  almighty  being,  which  idea  is  suggested  by  the 
name  of  God  here  used. 

22.  I'he  sun  rises — they  are  gathered — and  in  their  dens  lie  down. 
The  first  clause  may  also  be  translated,  let  the  sun  rise,  they  are 
gathered^  or  paraphrased  in  more  accordance  with  our  idiom, 
when  the  sun  rises  they  are  gathered  ;  but  neither  of  these  con- 
structions is  so  striking  and  poetical  as  the  exact  version  first 
above  given.  Gathered,  i,  e.  called  in  from  their  wanderings  and 
dispersions.  The  word  translated  dens  means  abodes  or  homes., 
and  is  a  cognate  form  to  that  in  Ps.  xc.  1  ;  but  the  form  here 
used  is  specially  applied  to  the  lairs  or  resting  places  of  wild 
beasts,  not  only  here  but  in  Am,  iii.  4.  The  last  verb  is  also 
one  appropriated  to  the  lying  down  of  animals.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxiii.  2.  The  construction  is  a  pregnant  one  :  they  lie  down 
to  (or  into)  their  dens,  i.  e.  go  into  them  and  lie  down. 

23.  Forth  goes  man  to  his  work,  and  to  his  labour  until  evening 
This  verse  presents  the  day-scene  corresponding  to  the  night- 
scene  of  the  two  preceding  verses.  When  night  comes  on,  the 
beasts  of  the  forest  are  in  motion  ;  when  the  sun  appears,  they 
gather  to  their  lairs,  and  man  comes  forth  to  labour  until  evening^ 
when  the  scene  is  shifted  as  before.  Leaving  out  of  view  all 
higher  claims  to  admiration  and  respect,  the  poetical  merit  of 


PSALM    CIV.  41 

this  whole  description  is  of  the  highest  order.     The  word  trans- 
hited  lahour  is  the  same  that  was  translated  culture  in  v.  14. 

24.  How  manifold  are  thy  vwrks,  Jehcvah  ;  all  of  them  in  wt?- 
do?n  hast  thou  wrought  ;  full  in  the  earth  of  thy  riches.  The  first 
verb  in  Hebrew  strictly  means  are  many^  but  as  the  context  has 
respect  to  the  variety,  and  not  to  the  mere  number,  of  God'a 
works,  the  sense  is  well  conveyed  by  the  term  used  in  the  Eno-lish 
versions  (manifold.)  Works  and  wrought  represent  a  cognate 
verb  and  noun  in  Hebrew,  a  combination  which  adds  point  and  ani- 
mation to  the  sentence.  The  last  word  in  the  verse  is  derived  from 
a  verb  which  means  to  acquire,  either  by  creation  or  by  purchase. 
While  the  noun,  therefore,  strictly  denotes  acquisitions  or  pos- 
sessions, its  etymological  affinities  would  instantly  suggest  to 
every  Hebrew  reader  the  idea  of  creation,  as  the  ultimate  source 
of  these  possessions,  a  modification  of  the  thought  which  cannoi 
be  conveyed  by  any  mere  translation. 

25.  Here  is  the  sea,  great  and  wide  on  all  hands ;  there  are 
moving  things^  and  without  number,  small  animals  with  great. 
The  exclamation  or  reflection  in  the  preceding  verse  aflfbrds  a 
transition  to  the  survey  of  other  parts  of  the  creation,  not  included 
in  the  catalogue  before  recited,  yet  no  less  striking  in  themselves. 
and  as  proofs  or  illustrations  of  the  Maker's  wisdom.  Such  is  tht 
sea,  or  here  for  instance  is  the  sea,  are  the  phrases  which  would 
probably  be  used  in  our  idiom,  io  introduce  the  first  example 
The  same  thing  was  probably  intended  by  the  Hebrew  phrase, 
this  {is)  the  sea,  as  if  the  speaker  at  the  same  time  pointed  to  it. 
See  above,  on  v.  8.  Wide  of  both  hands  is  another  idiomatic 
phrase  used  also  by  Moses  (Gren.  xxxiv,  21)  and  Isaiah  (xxxiii. 
21.)  It  obviously  means  stretching  out  in  all  directions.  The 
sense  of  hand,  as  thus  used,  is  the  same  as  in  the  English  phrase 
on  all  hands,  and  is  probably  derived  from  the  use  of  the  right 
and  left  hand  to  distinguish  position  or  direction.     Moving  thvngi 


42  PSALM    CIV. 

IS  here  used  to  translate  a  single  Hebrew  word  ('i^)?'^),  the  cognato 
noun  of  the  verb  employed  in  v.  20  to  denote  animal  motion. 
It  is  applied  to  marine  animals,  as  here,  in  Gen.  i.  9.  Ps.  Ixix. 
35  (34.)  The  use  of  the  word  beasts,  in  the  common  version  of 
the  last  clause,  is  not  consistent  with  its  modern  usage,  which  re- 
stricts it  to  terrestial  quadrupeds. 

26.  There  the  ships  go — Leviathan — this  [that)  thou  hast  formed 
to  'play  therein.  While  the  ships  connect  the  sea  with  man's 
activity  and  interests,  Leviathan,  the  standing  representative  of 
aquatic  monsters,  may  be  here  put  for  the  population  of  the  sea 
itself.  To  play  therein.,  as  in  his  native  element.  Compare  Job 
xl.  20.  The  idiomatic  use  of  this  is  like  that  in  v.  25.  The  word 
translated  go.,  in  the  common  version  of  the  first  clause,  is  the 
same  that  was  rendered  walk  in  v.  3,  and  run  in  v.  10. 

27.  All  of  them  on  thee  rely.,  to  give  their  food  in  its  season. 
The  all  of  them  obviously  relates  to  all  the  living  creaturea 
previously  mentioned,  and  not  to  any  one  or  more  exclusively, 
the  proposition  being  no  less  true  of  men  than  brutes,  or  of  brutes 
than  men.  On  thee  rely  is  not  an  exact  translation  of  the  He- 
brew, which  indeed  does  not  admit  of  one,  because  it  combines  a 
verb  and  preposition  which  cannot  be  combined  in  English.  The 
form  of  the  original  is,  to  thee  icait,  expect,  or  hope,  the  verb  ex- 
pressing confidence,  the  particle  the  act  of  looking  towards  the 
object  thus  confided  in.  The  description  of  the  animals  as 
thus  expecting  their  supplies  from  God,  is  merely  the  poetical 
costume  in  which  the  Psalmist  clothes  the  fact,  that  they  are 
really,  although  unconsciously,  dependent  on  him.  In  precisely 
the  same  manner,  other  poets  represent  the  earth,  in  time  of 
drought,  as  parched  with  thirst  and  longing  for  the  rain,  which 
expressions  no  sane  man  would  either  charge  with  falsehood,  or 
consider  as  implying  a   belief   in    the    conscious  personality   of 


PSALM    CIV.  43 

Earth      Compare  my  note  on  Isai.  xlii.  4      In  its  season^  i.  e. 
when  they  need  it. 

28.  Thou  giv est  to  thevi^  they  gatluer ;  thou  ojpenest  thy  hand^ 
they  are  filled  {uith)  food.  The  point  of  the  significant  anti- 
thesis is  this,  that  God  as  easily  bestows  as  they  receive.  He  haa 
only  to  give,  they  have  only  to  gather.  He  has  but  to  open  his 
hand,  and  they  are  instantly  provided,  even  to  satiety.  Filled., 
satisfied,  abundantly  supplied,  as  in  v.  13.  The  verb  rendered 
gather  means  to  pick  up  or  collect  from  the  ground.  It  is 
used  in  the  history  of  the  manna  (Ex.  xvi.  1,  5,  16),  to  which 
there  is  obvious  allusion.  The  act  of  gathering  from  the  ground 
seems  to  presuppose  a  previous  throwing  down  from  heaven 
The  common  version,  that  (meaning  what)  thou  givest  them  they 
gather  J  weakens  the  sentence,  if  it  does  not  render  it  unmeaning 

29.  Thou  hides t  thy  face.,  they  are  confounded  ;  thou  loithd rawest 
their  hreath.,  they  expire,  and  to  their  dust  return.  The  hiding  of 
God's  face  is  the  opposite  of  looking  with  a  favourable  aspect. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  2(1.)  It  here  means  the  suspension  or 
withdrawing  of  the  various  benefits  before  described.  They  are 
troubled  is,  in  every  case,  a  feeble  version  of  one  of  the  strongest 
words  in  the  language,  which  has  been  already  more  than  once 
explained.  Even  confounded.,  though  much  stronger,  does  not 
perfectly  convey  the  idea,  which  is  that  of  being  agitated,  terror- 
stricken,  or  convulsed.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  5.  Ixxviii,  33.  xc.  7 
Their  breath.,  the  vital  principle  imparted  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
(Gen.  ii.  7),  who  is  the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh,  i  e.  the 
author  of  all  life  whatever.  See  Num.  xvi.  22.  xxvii.  16,  and 
compare  Heb.  xii.  9.  The  verb  expire  is  used  in  the  account  of 
the  destruction  of  all  living  creatures  by  the  flood,  Gen.  vii.  21, 
2.2,  to  which  there  is  no  doubt  allusion,  as  there  is  in  the  next 
clause  to  Gen.  iii.  19.     Compare  Ps.  xc   3    ciii.  14.  Ecc.  xil  7 


44  PSALM    CIV. 

Thdr  dust,  their  own,  their  native   dust,  to    which  they  belong, 
and  from  which  they  sprang. 

30.  Thou  senckst  thy  hrmth,  they  are  created,  and  thou  rt- 
newest  the  face  of  the  earth.  The  absolute  power  of  God  over  the 
life  of  his  creatures  is  expressed  by  representing  him  as  annihil- 
ating and  creating  the  whole  race  at  pleasure,  by  a  breath.  With 
equal  correctness  we  might  read  thy  spirit,  but  thy  hreath  is  more 
poetical,  and  therefore  better  suited  to  the  context  as  the  primary 
meaning,  though  the  spirit  be  really  intended.  TJiey  are  created 
refers  the  effect  more  directly  to  God's  power  than  they  live  or 
ihey  recive  would  do.  In  the  last  clause  there  is  evident  allusion 
to  the  renovation  of  the  earth  desolated  by  the  flood,  and  the 
joyous  change  of  its  face  or  aspect  when  re-peopled. 

31.  Let  the  glory  of  Jehovah  he  forever  ;  let  Jehovah  rejoice  in 
his  works.  The  optative  form  of  the  first  verb  here  determines 
the  meaning  of  the  other.  It  would  also  be  grammatical,  though 
much  less  natural  in  this  connection,  to  regard  the  abbreviated 
form  of  the  first  verb  as  a  mere  poetic  license,  and  explain  both 
as  futures  proper.  The  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  he  to  eternity  ;  Je- 
hovah shall  rejoice  in  his  uwrks.  The  grammatical  question  is  of 
less  importance,  because  one  of  these  senses  really  implies  the 
other.  The  wish  is  not  for  something  doubtful  but  infallibly  cer- 
tain, and  the  prediction  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the  wish 
of  him  who  utters  it.  In  this  verse  some  interpreters  suppose 
an  allusion  to  God's  satisfaction  in  his  own  work  of  creation 
when  he  rested  from  it  on  the  seventh  day.      See  Gen.  ii.  1,2. 

32.  He  that  looks  at  the  earth  and  it  quakes,  touches  the  hills  and 
they  smoke.  There  is  something  in  the  form  of  this  verse  similar 
to  that  of  V.  28.  God  has  only  to  look  at.  the  earth  to  make  it 
quake.  He  has  only  to  touch  the  mountains  and  they  smoke, 
His  iontrolling  and  terrifying  acts  are  as  prompt  and  easy  as  his 


PSALM    CIV.  45 

acts  of  grace.  There  seems  to  be  a  reference  to  the  words  of 
Moses  in  describing  the  effects  of  the  theophany  at  Sinai,  when 
its  summit  smoked,  and  its  very  roots  or  bases  were  on  fire  See 
Ex.  xix.  IS.  Deut.  xxxii.  22.  To  those  familiar  with  the  con- 
stant use  of  mountains  as  a  symbol  of  great  monarchies,  this  verse 
would  necessarily  suggest  the  thought,  that  God's  power  over 
Btates  is  no  less  absolute  than  that  which  he  exercises  over  indi- 
viduals, or  over  the  inanimate  creation. 

33.  I  will  $mg  to  Jehovah  while  I  live,  I  will  make  music  to  my 
God  while  I  still  (exist.)  This  is  the  Psalmist's  conclusion  from  the 
view  which  he  has  taken,  with  respect  to  his  own  interest  and 
duty.  If  the  Lord  be  such  a  God  to  all  his  creatures,  then  I 
can  do  no  better  than  expend  the  remainder  of  my  life  in  praising 
faim.  The  two  verbs  are  those  continually  joined  to  denote  vocal 
and  instrumental  praise.  The  closing  words  of  each  clause,  and 
especially  the  second,  have  a  highly  idiomatic  character.  The 
phrase  translated  while  I  live  means  literally  in  my  life  or  lives. 
The  corresponding  one  can  scarcely  be  translated,  as  it  is  com- 
posed of  the  preposition  in,  the  adverb  yet  or  still,  and  the  pro- 
noun of  the  first  person,  in  my  yet,  i.  e.  in  my  {being)  yet,  while  I 
still  am,  or  continue  to  exist. 

34.  Sweet  shall  be  of  him  my  meditation  ;  I  will  rejoice  in  Je- 
Jiovah.  The  ancient  versions  and  the  Prayer  Book,  with  some  of 
the  best  interpreters,  put  an  optative  sense  upon  the  first  clause, 
may  viy  thought  (or  speech)  be  accejptahle  to  him.  In  favour  of 
this  interpretation  is  the  fact  that  a  synonymous  verb,  followed  by 
the  game  preposition  (i?)?  means  to  be  pleasing  to  a  person,  in  \  «. 
xvi.  6.  In  favour  of  the  other  is  the  want  of  anything  to  indi- 
cate a  wish,  and  the  parallelism  of  the  second  clause,  which  relates 
tc  the  expression  of  his  own  feelings  towards  Jehovah,  not  to  the 
dispositions  of  Jehovah  towards  himself.  Thus  understood,  the 
whole  verse  completes  the  Psalmist's  practical   conclusion  from 


46  PSALMCV, 

the  view  which  he  has  taken  of  Grod's  power,  wisdom,  aud  good- 
ness, namely,  that  the  knowledge  and  possession  of  this  God  is 
happiness. 

35.  Consumed  are  sinners  from  the  earthy  and  (as  for)  wicked 
men,  they  are  no  more.  Bless,  oh  my  soul,  Jehovah.  Halle.ujah  f 
This  verse  has  no  perceptible  connexion,  either  with  the  verse 
immediately  before  it,  or  witli  the  general  drift  of  the  whole 
psalm,  except  upon  the  supposition,  that  the  whole  psalm  was  in- 
tended to  derive,  from  the  view  of  God's  authoritative  care  over 
his  works,  an  encouraging  assurance  that  his  people  must  be  safe  ; 
that  he  who  feeds  and  shelters  the  inferior  animals,  and  makes 
provision  for  the  physical  necessities  of  men  in  general,  cannot 
fail  to  provide  for  the  security  and  happiness  of  those  whom  he 
has  set  apart  for  himself,  or  to  free  them  from  the  malice  of  those 
sinners  who  are  equally  the  enemies  of  Grod  and  of  his  people. 
The  psalm,  like  the  one  before  it,  closes  with  the  same  words 
which  began  it.  The  last  word,  Hallelujah  (praise  i/e  .Tah), 
occurs  here  for  the  first  time,  and  is  supposed  b}'-  some  to  form 
no  part  of  the  original  composition,  but  to  have  been  added  for 
the  purpose  of  adapting  it  to  some  public  service  at  a  later  date 


PSALM     C  V . 

This,  like  the  Seventy-Eighth,  is  a  historical  psaira,  recounting 
God's  ancient  dealings  with  his  people,  especially  in  Egypt. 
The  practical  design  of  the  commemoration  is  not  to  bring  the 
people  to  repentance,  as  in  the  case  referred  to,  but  to  excite 
theii'  hopes  of  an  analogous  deliverance.     According  to  a  theory 


PSALM    CV.  47 

already  mentioned,  this  is  the  second  member  of  a  trilogy,  added 
to  one  of  older  date  (Ps.  ci--ciii)  during  the  time  of  the  cap- 
tivity. It  differs  from  the  psalm  before  it  in  deriving  from  his- 
tory the  same  consolation  which  is  there  derived  from  nature. 
After  the  introduction,  vs.  1 — 7,  the  arrangement  is  simply  chrono 
logical,  beginning  with  the  promise  to  Abraham,  and  ending  with 
the  conquest  of  Canaan,  vs.  8—44.  The  first  fifteen  verses  of  this 
psalm  are  found  in  1  Chron.  xvi,  combined  with  Ps.  xcvi  and 
three  verses  of  Ps.  cvi.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xcvi.  1. 

1.  Gk'e  thanks  unto  Jehovah^  call  upon  his  name^  make  known 
among  the  nations  his  exjjloits.  The  original  meaning  of  the 
second  phrase  is,  call  {him)  by  his  name,  i.  e.  give  him  the  de- 
scriptive title  most  expressive  of  his  divine  perfections  ;  or  more 
specifically,  call  him  by  his  name  Jehovah,  i.  e.  ascribe  to  him 
the  attributes  which  it  denotes,  to  wit,  eternity  and  self-existence, 
together  with  that  covenant  relation  to  his  people,  which  though 
not  denoted  by  the  name  was  constantly  associated  with  it,  and 
therefore  necessarily  suggested  by  it.  The  meaning  of  the  next 
phrase  is  obscured,  if  not  entirely  concealed,  in  the  common  ver- 
sion, among  the  people.  The  plural  form  and  sense  of  the  original 
expression  are  essential  to  the  writer's  purpose,  which  is  to 
vlorify  the  Grod  of  Israel  among  all  nations.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xviii.  50  (49.)  Ivii.  10  (9.)  For  the  meaning  of  the  last  word, 
see  above,  on  Ps.  ciii.  7. 

2.  Sing  to  him,  play  to  him,  muse  on  all  his  wondrous  deeds. 
The  exhortation  seems  to  be  addressed  to  the  Gentiles,  who  are 
called  unon  to  join  in  the  praises  and  to  share  the  blessings  of  the 
chosen  people.  For  the  meaning  of  the  last  verb,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  civ.  34. 

3.  Glory  in  his  holy  name  !  Glad  shall  he  the  heart  of  those  whi 
uek  Jehovah.     Congratulate   yourselves  that  you  possess  a  right 


4g  PSALM    CV. 

and  interest  in  the  favour  of  so  glorious  a  Being.  The  last  clause 
presents  as  an  inducement,  that  to  seek  the  favour  of  this  God  is 
a  source,  and  b}^  implication  the  only  source,  of  joy  and  happi- 
ness.    Compare  Ps.  xxxiv.  3  (2.)  xl.  17  (16.)  Ixix.  7  (6.) 

4  Seek  Jehovah  and  his  strength,  seek  his  face  evermore.  The 
Elebrew  verbs,  although  synonymous,  are  not  identical.  And  his 
itrength,  the  protection  secured  by  his  almighty  power.  Seek 
him,  not  as  a  finite  being,  but  as  the  omnipotent  Jehovah,  the 
source,  as  well  as  the  possessor,  of  all  strength.  Seek  his  face^ 
not  merely  his  presence,  but  his  countenance,  his  favourable  look 
r  aspect.  With  the  several  expressions  of  this  verse  compare 
Ps.  ix.  11  (10.)  X.  4.  xiv.  2.  xxiv.  6.  xxxiv.  5  (4  )  Ixi.  4  (3.) 
Ixii.  S  (7.)  Ixiii.  3  (2.)  Ixviii.  35  (34)  xcvi.  7. 

5.  Remember  his  wondrous  dtzds  which  he  did,  his  miracles  and 
the  judgments  of  his  mouth.  They  are  exhorted  not  to  forget 
them,  as  Israel  is  charged  with  doing,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  11.  Miracles^ 
prodigies  or  wonders,  proofs. of  divine  power.  There  is  no  need 
of  identifying  these  with  the  judgments  of  his  mouth,  which  in- 
clude his  laws  and  the  sentences  pronounced  upon  his  enemies. 
The  latter  is  probably  the  prominent  idea  as  best  suited  to  tbia 
context. 

6.  Ye  seed  of  Abraham  his  servant,  ye  sons  of  Jacob,  his  chosen 
{ones.)  Descendants  of  the  patriarchs,  and  therefore  heirs  of  the 
patriarchal  promises.  The  common  version  of  the  last  phrase 
{his  chosen),  though  exact,  conveys  a  wrong  idea,  as  it  seems  to 
make  chosen  an  epithet  of  Jacob,  which  would  also  seem  to  be 
required  by  the  parallelism  ;  but  the  Hebrew  word  is  plural  and 
Beseribes  the  object  of  address  as  the  church  or  chosen  people. 
Compare  Isai.  Ixv.  9.  i^braham  is  called  the  Servant  of  God,  in 
an  emphatic  sense,  as  being  his  chosen  instrument  and  confidential 


PSALM    CV.  49 

agent.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  1,  and  compare  Ps.  xc    1      The 
parallel  passage  (1  Chr.  xvi.  13)  has  Israel  his  servant. 

7.  ITe  is  Jehovah  our  God  ;  in  all  the  earth  (are)  his  jndg 
ments.  His  covenant  relations  are  with  us  the  seed  (jf  Abraham  \ 
but  the  proofs  of  his  existence  and  vindicatory  justice  are  com- 
mon to  all  nations.  This  whole  introduction  seems  intended  to 
dispose  both  Jews  and  Gentiles  to  the  praise  of  God. 

8.  He  rememhered  forever  his  covenant  ^  the  word  he  command-id  for 
a  thousand  generations.  There  is  here  a  kind  of  antithetical  allu- 
sion to  the  exhortation  in  v.  5.  They  should  remember  what  he 
did,  since  he  remembers  what  he  promised.  What  he  has  done 
involves  a  pledge  of  what  he  will  do.  He  has  remembered  (and 
will  remember)  his  covenant  to  eternity.  The  v)ord  is  the  word 
of  promise.  He  is  said  to  have  commanded  it,  partly  because  hia 
promise  is  conditional  and  annexed  to  his  commandment,  and  for 
that  reason  called  a  covenant  ;  partly  because  all  that  God  says 
must  of  necessity  be  said  with  authority,  so  that  even  his  pro- 
mises partake  of  the  nature  of  commands.  The  last  phrase,  a 
thousand  generations^  is  Mosaic.  See  Deut.  vii.  9,  and  compare 
Ex.  XX.  6. 

9.  Which  he  ratified  with  Abraham.,  and  his  oath  to  Isaac 
The  sentence  is  continued  from  the  foregoing  verse.  Ratified^ 
literally  cut ;  see  above,  on  Ps.  1.  5.  His  oath  (which  he  sware) 
to  Isaac,  or,  his  oath  for  (the  benefit  of)  Isaac.  The  distinction, 
if  any  be  intended,  is  that  the  covenant  was  formally  made  only 
with  Abraham,  and  merely  sanctioned  or  confirmed  by  oath  to 
his  successors.  See  Gen.  xv.  18.  xxvi.  3.  xxviii.  13.  ITis  oath 
is  governed  by  rememhered  in  v.  8.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxxix.  28. 
34  (27,  33.) 

10.  And  confirmed  it  to  Jacob  for  a  sfatutCy  to   Israel  (for  | 

VOL.     III.  3 


50  PSALM    CV. 

an  everlasting  covenant.  Confirmed  it,  literally,  made  (or  let)  i\ 
stand,  instead  of  suffering  it  to  expire  with  the  person  to  whom  it 
was  originally  given.  A  statute,  in  the  wide  sense  of  a  perma- 
nent arrangement,  a  perpetual  constitution,  or,  as  it  is  called  ia 
the  last  cla«Lise,  a  compact  of  eternity,  an  everlasting  covenant. 
See  Gen.  xxviii.  13.  xxxv.  12. 

11  Saying,  To  thee  will  I  give  the  land  of  Canaan,  as  the 
portion  of  your  heritage.  The  subject  or  substance  of  the  pro- 
mise is  now  more  distinctly  stated.  The  word  translated  portion 
primarily  means  a  line,  especially  a  measuring  line,  and  then 
what  is  measured  by  it,  to  wit,  a  piece  of  land,  a  lot  of  ground. 
This  was  not  to  be  given  to  the  patriarchs  in  person,  but  to  their 
descendants,  as  the  portion  of  their  heritage  or  their  hereditary 
portion.  The  plural  your  may  refer,  however,  to  the  patriarchs 
themselves,  as  the  promise  was  repeated  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and 
Jacob. 

12.  When  as  yet  they  could  be  numbered — very  few,  and  Strang 
er$  in  it.  The  first  clause  involves  an  antithetical  allusion  to  the 
promise,  afterwards  fulfilled,  that  they  should  be  innumerable  as 
the  stars,  or  as  the  sand  upon  the  shore,  Gren.  xxii.  17.  The 
form  of  the  original  is  highly  idiomatic,  ri  their  being  men  of 
number,  like  a  little,  or  like  littleness  itself.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxiii.  2,  and  compare  Isai.  i.  9.  Strangen,,  sojourners,  living 
on  the  lands  of  others,  at  their  will,  or  by  their  sufferance.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxix.  13  (12.)  In  it,  the  land  of  Canaan,  men- 
tioned in  the  preceding  verse.  The  whole  verse  qualifies  the 
previous  account  of  the  patriarchal  covenant,  which  was  not 
made  with  Israel  when  already  a  great  nation,  but  with  their 
ancestors  when  few  in  number  and  without  a  settled  home.  The 
parallel  passage  (1  Chron.  xvi.  19)  has  when  ye  wen.  See  Gen 
xxxiv.  30,  and  compare  Deut.  xxxiii.  6    Jsai.  x.  If 


PSALM    CV.  51 

13.  And  they  went  about  from  nation  to  nation^  from  kingdom  te 
another  jpeople.  This  may  be  regarded  as  in  contrast  with  v.  I2^and 
(yet)  they  went  about ^  notwithstanding  their  small  number  and  their 
being  strangers.  Or  vs.  12,  13,  may  be  the  protasis  of  the  sen- 
tence, and  V.  14  its  apodosis.  '  When  they  were  few  and 
strangers,  and  went  from  nation  to  nation,  he  let  no  man,  etc' 
This  verse  describes  the  characteristic  feature  in  the  condition  of 
the  chosen  people,  during  the  patriarchal  period  of  their  history, 
namely,  their  migratory  intercourse  with  various  nations.  These 
are  mentioned  in  the  first  clause  as  distinct  races,  in  the  last  as 
distinct  states  or  bodies  politic.  Where  we  might  have  expected 
from  kingdom  to  kingdom^  the  ear  is  somewhat  disappointed  by 
the  phrase  from  kingdom  to  another  people,  which  may  have  been 
intended  to  distinguish  the  Egyptian  and  other  monarchies  from 
the  more  democratical  or  patriarchal  institutions  of  the  Arabians 
and  other  nations.  They  went  about  seems  to  be  the  force  of  the 
reflexive  or  frequentative  verb,  as  distinguished  from  that  of  the 
primitive,  they  went.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvi.  3.  xxxv.  14.  ci.  2, 
and  compare  Gen.  v.  22.  xvii.  1.  xxiv.  6,  9,  40.  xlviii.  15. 

14.  He  suffered  no  man  to  oppress  them,  and  reproved,  for  their 
sake,  kings.  The  precise  sense  of  the  first  clause  is,  he  sufiered 
not  man  (or  men  in  general)  to  oppress  them.  The  protection 
of  the  patriarchs  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  striking  facts  in 
sacred  history.  The  kings  mentioned  in  the  last  clause  are  the 
kings  of  Egypt  and  Gerar  (Gen.  xii.  17.  xx.  3),  not  without 
reference  perhaps  to  those  mentioned  in  Glen,  xiv.  1. 

15.  Touch  not  mine  anointed  (ones),  and  to  my  prophets  do  no 
harm.  These  are  the  words  of  God  himself,  and  are  designated 
as  such,  in  the  English  Eible,  by  supplying  the  word  sayin^  , 
which  is  expressed  in  the  analogous  case,  v.  11.  Touch  noi,  as 
in  Gen.  xxvi.  11,29.  In  the  Old  Testament,  unction  is  the 
symbol  of  spiritual  gifts,  and  especially  of  those  imparted  to  tlie 


52  PSALM    CV. 

great  theocratical  offices.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  2.  From  the 
case  of  Elisha  [1  Kings  xix.  16)  it  would  seem  that  prophets 
were  anointed  when  inducted  into  office.  The  patriarchs  are  hero 
called  ■prophets  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term,  as  denoting  men 
inspired  of  God,  and  admitted  to  confidential  intercourse  with 
him.  '  The  allusion  here  is  to  Gen.  xx.  7,  where  God  says  to 
Abimelech  of  Abraham,  "Restore  the  man  his  wife,  for  he  is  a 
prophet,  and  he  will  pray  for  thee,  and  thou  shalt  live." 

16.  And  he  called  (for)  a  famine  on  the  land  ;  eveiy  %taff  of 
hread  he  hrahe.  The  psalmist  now  passes  from  the  Patriarchal  to 
the  Egyptian  period  of  the  history,  by  stating  the  occasion  of 
Israel's  migration  into  Egypt.  The  meaning  of  the  fii'st  clause 
Beems  to  be,  that  he  summoned  famine,  as  his  instrument  or  ser- 
vant, to  come  down  upon  the  land,  as  sent  from  above,  that  is  to 
say,  from  himself.  The  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is,  that  the 
people  were  deprived  of  eveiy  customary  means  and  source  of 
subsistence.  The  figure  of  a  staff  or  stay  is  a  Mosaic  one.  See 
Lev.  xxvi.  26,  and  compare  Isai.  iii.  1.  It  is  near  akin  to  the 
description  of  food  as  staying  or  sustaining  the  heart.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  civ.  15..  The  historical  reference  in  the  verse  before  us 
is  to  Gen.  xli.  54. 

17.  He  sent  before  them  a  7nan  ;  sold  for  a  slave  was  Joseph. 
The  same  providential  purpose  is  assigned  to  Joseph's  bondage 
by  himself.  Gen.  xlv.  5.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Gen. 
xxxvii.  36.  Some  interpreters,  assuming,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  that  this  psalm  was  composed  in  the  time  of  the  captivity, 
suppose  a  parallel,  in  this  verse,  between  Joseph  and  Daniel, 
both  of  whom,  in  addition  to  their  personal  qualities,  were  sent 
into  captivity  before  the  body  of  their  brethren  ;  both  gained  the 
royal  favour  and  were  exalted  to  high  station  in  the  land  of  their 
captivity  ;  and  both  employed  the  influence  thus  gained  for  th^ 
advantage  of  their   countrymen.     To  tLe  Jews  in  exile,  such  a 


PSALM    CV.  5? 

parallel  must  have  been  not  only  interesting,  in  a  liistorical  of 
poetical  point  of  view,  but  consolatory  and  encouraging  as  a  token 
for  good^  a  sign  that  God  was  about  to  renew  the  exodus  from 
Egypt  in  an  exodus  from  Babylon. 

18.  They  hurt^  with  the  fetter^  hu  feet  ;  into  iron  came  his  soul. 
That  Joseph  was  actually  chained  or  fettered,  is  included  in  the 
true  sense  of  the  word  hound^  applied  to  him  in  the  history.  See 
Gen.  xl.  3,  and  compare  Gen.  xxxix.  20,  22.  They^  the  Egyp- 
tians, or  his  gaolers  ;  or  the  verb  may  be  indefinitely  construed, 
as  if  it  had  been  said,  his  feet  were  hurt.  The  verb  means  else- 
where to  humble  or  mortify,  but  is  here  used  in  its  strict  sense  of 
afflicting,  causing  to  suflPer.  The  Prayer  Book  version  of  the 
last  clause,  the  iron  entered  into  his  soul^  is  ungrammatical,  the 
word  for  iro7i  being  masculine,  while  that  for  soul  is,  like  the  verb, 
feminine.  The  general  sense  is  given  in  the  text  of  the  English 
Bible,  and  the  exact  form  in  the  margin.  The  mention  of  the 
soul,  as  in  many  other  cases,  is  of  course  not  meant  to  be  ex- 
clusive of  the  body,  but  to  suggest  the  idea  of  intimate  and  heart- 
felt suffering.     See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.)  xi.  1,  etc. 

19.  Until  the  time  thai  his  word  came  (to  pass),  the  saying  of 
Jehovah  tried  him.  The  last  verb  properly  denotes  the  assaying 
of  metals,  but  is  figuratively  applied  to  moral  tiial  and  purgation. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xii.  7  (6.)  xvii.  3.  xviii.  31  (30.)xxvi.  2.  The 
most  probable  meaning  of  the  verse  is,  that  during  the  two  years 
which  intervened  between  his  explanation  of  the  prisoners' 
dreams  and  the  favourable  issue  to  which  it  ultimately  led,  his 
faith  in  the  divine  promise,  both  to  himself  and  to  his  people,  was 
severely  but  favourably  tried.     Compare  the  history  in  G  en.  xl,  xli 

20.  TJie  king  sent  and  loosed  him — the  ruler  of  nations.,  and  set 
him,  free.  Both  verbs  strictly  apply  to  the  removal  of  his  fetters, 
the  first  meaning  properly  to  knock  off  (Isai.  Iviii.  6),  the  other  to 


54  PSA.LM    CV, 

open  for  the  purpose  of  removing.  See  abjve,  on  Ps.  xxx 
12  (11.)  The  king  of  Egypt  is  called  a  roller  of  peoples^  eithei 
in  reference  to  the  tribes  or  nomes  of  Egypt  itself,  or  because 
there  were  other  nations  tributary  to  him. 

21.  lie  made  him.  lord  of  his  house  and  rider  of  all  his  wealth. 
The  literal  meaning  of  the  first  clause  is,  he  placed  him  lord  to  his 
house.  See  Gen.  xli.  40,  41,  43.  xlv.  S.  For  the  meaning  of 
the  last  word  in  the  sentence,  see  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  24.  It  is 
one  of  the  points  of  resemblance  which  are  thought  to  identify 
the  two  psalms  as  the  work  of  the  same  author. 

22.  To  hind  his  chiefs  at  his  j^^^'^siire,  a7id  his  elders  to  make 
wise.  The  words  translated  chiefs  and  elders  are  those  commonly 
applied  to  the  heads  of  tribes  and  families,  the  hereditary  magi- 
strates under  the  patriarchal  system.  The  application  of  the 
second  word  to  Egypt  is  found  also  in  the  history.  Gen.  1.  7.  At 
his  pleasu7-ej  literally,  ivith  his  soul.,  which  some  explain  as  a  bold 
metaphor,  describing  Joseph's  mind  or  soul  as  the  cord  or  chain 
with  which  he  bound  the  Egyptians,  i.  e.  forced  them  to  perform 
his  will.     But  see  Ps.  xvii.  9.  xxvii.  12.  xli.  5  (2.) 

23.  And  (so)  Israel  entered  Egypt.,  and  Jacob  sojourned  in  the 
land  of  Ham.  This  was  the  main  event,  to  which  those  just  re- 
cited were  preparatory.  Israel  and  Jacol  are  the  names  both  of 
the  individual  patriarch  and  of  his  descendants  as  a  nation.  In 
this  case  both  the  applications  are  admissible,  or  rather  requis->'* 
in  order  to  exhaust  the  writer's  meaning.  The  patriarch  himself 
came  into  Egypt,  but  his  sons  literally  came  with  him,  and  all  his 
descendants  figuratively  in  him.  The  land  of  Ham.,  from  whom 
Mizraim  was  descended.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  51. 

24.  And  he  increased  his  people  greatly ^  and  made  them  stronger 
iJia.n  their  enemies.     Increased^  literally,  rendered  fruitful.     The 


PSALM    CV.  5ff 

same  verb  is  used  in  the  promise  to  Abraham  and  Jacob  (Gen 
xvii.  6.  xxviii.  2J,  and  in  the  history  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  Ex.  i.  7 
The  word  here  used  for  enemies  is  one  implying  persecution  and 
oppression.  The  singular  pronouns  in  the  Hebrew,  made  him 
stroTiger  than  his  enemies^  are  in  strict  grammatical  agreement  with 
the  collective  noun  people. 

25.  He  turned  their  heart  to  hate  his  people.,  to  deal  craftily 
with  his  servants.  The  first  clause  asserts  God's  sovereign 
control  even  of  the  free  acts  of  his  sinful  creatures,  a  truth 
repeatedly  affirmed  in  the  history  which  this  psalm  recapitulates. 
See  Ex.  iv.  21.  vii.  3,  and  compare  1  Sam.  xxvi.  9.  2  Sam.  xvi.  10. 
xxiv.  1.  The  last  verb  occurs  only  in  the  history  of  Joseph,  Gen 
xxxvii.  18.  The  corresponding  term  in  Exodus  (i.  10)  is  let  us  deal 
icisely,  or  more  exactly,  let  us  make  ourselves  ivise,  as  the  verb  in 
this  case  may  be  rendered,  let  us  make  oivrsehes  subtle  or  crafty^ 
both  being  reflexive  forms.  The  historical  allusion  is  of  course 
to  the  murderous  poHcy,  which  preceded  the  violent  oppression  of 
the  Hebrews. 

26.  He  sent  Moses  his  servant  (and)  Aaron  whom  he  chose. 
The  meaning  is  not  Moses  (who  was)  his  servant,  or  (because  he 
was)  his  servant.,  but  (to  be)  his  servant.,  his  instrument  in  the 
great  work  of  delivering  his  people.  See  above,  on  v.  6,  and  on 
Ps.  xviii.  1.  xxxvi.  1.  Ixxviii.  70. 

27.  They  placed  among  them  the  words  of  his  signs  and  wonders 
in  the  land  of  Ham.  The  first  phrase  seems  to  mean  nothing 
more  than  set  before  them  or  exhibited  to  them.  Words  of  signs  i?? 
by  some  understood  to  mean  matters  (or  affairs)  of  signs,  and  to 
be  either  a  pleonastic  phrase  for  signs  alone,  or  an  emphatic 
phrase  denoting  all  the  signs.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  4  (3.) 
The  ^rst  is  a  gratuitous  assumption,  the  last  a  forced  interpreta- 
ti.>7>      Better  than  either  is  the  explanation  which  gives  to  wc-^^i 


56  PSALM    CV. 

its  proper  meaning,  and  supposes  stress  to  be  intentionally  laid  on 
the  divine  word  of  Jehovah,  and  the  prophetic  word  of  Moses  and 
Aaron,  in  the  way  of  threatening  and  command,  as  well  as  on  the 
physical  effects  which  followed  these  denunciations.  Compare 
the  use  of  words  in  Ps.  vii.  1,  and  the  explanation  there  given. 
Signs,  i.  e.  tokens  of  God's  presence  and  activity,  and  indica- 
tions of  his  will.  WonderSy  prodigies,  miracles,  the  same  word 
that  occurs  above  in  v,  5. 

28.  He  sent  darkness  and  made  it  dark,  and  they  did  not  resist 
his  words,  or  according  to  the  marginal  reading,  his  word.  This 
is  by  some  understood  to  mean  the  plague  of  darkness,  which  im- 
mediately preceded  the  slaughter  of  the  first  born,  Ex.  x.  22. 
But  to  this  explanation  there  are  two  objections  ;  fiist,  that  it  en- 
tirely disturbs  the  order  of  the  plagues,  Avhich  is  otherwise  observed 
with  great  exactness,  the  only  deviation  being  very  trivial  compared 
with  this  ;  secondly,  because  it  would  then  be  necessary  to  apply 
the  last  clause  to  Moses  and  Aaron,  or  to  Israel  in  general,  there- 
by making  it  unmeaning,  or  else  to  admit  a  contradiction  of 
the  history,  which  expressly  says  that  the  Egyptians  did  resist 
the  word  of  God  even  after  the  plague  of  darkness,  Ex.  x.  27. 
The  only  remaining  explanation  is,  that  darkness,  in  the  verse 
before  us,  as  in  many  other  cases,  is  a  figure  for  calamity  in  gene- 
ral, and  applied  not  to  one  plague  in  particular,  but  to  the  whole 
series,  of  which  a  more  detailed  account  is  then  subjoined. 

29.  He  turned  their,  waters  to  blood  and  killed  their  fish.  Here 
begins  the  more  particular  enumeration  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt. 
Compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  44,  where  the  inconvenience  specified  is  that 
they  could  not  drink  the  water,  whereas  here  it  is  the  loss  of  their 
accustomed  food.  This  last  word  is  used  as  a  collective  in  both 
languages. 

30.  Their  land  teemed  icith  frogs — in  the  chambers  of  their  kings. 
That  even  the.^e  were  not  safe  from  the  hateful  intruders,  is  an 


PSALM    CV.  57 

aggravating  circnmstance,  particular! j  mentioned  in  the  original 
threatening,  and  implied  in  the  narrative  of  its  execution.  Sep 
Ex.  viii.  3,  9.  The  first  verb  means  to  bring  forth  in  abundance, 
and  is  so  used  in  the  history  of  the  creation,  with  particular  refer- 
ence to  the  genesis  of  animals,  Gen.  i.  20. 

31.  He  said^  and  the  jiy  came  and  gnats  (or  lice)  in  all  their 
border.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  45,  where  the  gnats  or  lice 
are  omitted,  and  the  flies  precede  the  frogs.  So  here,  the  fliea 
precede  the  lice,  a  slight  departure  from  the  order  of  the  history. 
See  Ex.  viii.  5,  16.  He  said,  i.  e.  he  said  so,  which  is  tanta- 
mount to  saying,  he  commanded.  In  all  their  border.,  i.  e.  every 
where  within  it,  throughout  the  land.  This  expression  is  bor- 
rowed from  the  history.     See  Ex.  viii.  2  (vii.  27.) 

32.  He  gave  them  hail  for  rain  (and)  flaming  fire  in  their  land. 
This,  which  is  the  common  version,  represents  the  sense  correctly, 
but  with  a  deviation  from  the  form  of  the  original,  which  is  highly 
idiomatic.  A  bald  translation  is,  he  gave  their  rains  hail.,  fire  of 
flames  in  their  land.  The  terms  are  chosen  for  the  sake  of  an 
allusion  to  the  promise  in  Lev.  xxvi.  4,  I  will  give  your  rains  in 
their  season.  Instead  of  these  he  gave  the  Egyptians  a  destruc- 
tive hail-storm.     Compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  48. 

33.  And  smote  their  vine  and  their  fig-tree.,  and  shattered 
the  trees  of  their  border.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  47,  where  syca- 
mores are  particularly  mentioned.  The  history  says  nothing  of 
the  vines,  but  speaks  of  the  breaking  of  the  trees,  using  the  same 
intensive  verb  as  here.  See  Ex.  ix.  25.  Their  border.,  as  before, 
means  their  land  or  territory  in  its  whole  extent,  just  as  the  end'y 
tf  the  earth  h  put  for  all  its  parts.     See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  8. 

34.  He  said,  and  the  arbeh  came.,  and  the  ydek.,  and  (that> 
without  number.     The  tv/o  Hebrew  words,  hero  retained,  donoi^e 


^g  PSALMCV. 

varieties  of  tlie  locust,  and  have  no  equivalents  in  English.  Se« 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  46,  where  the  first  word  here  stands  second 
and  the  place  of  the  other  is  supplied  by  hasil^  another  distinctive 
term  of  the  same  kind.  Without  number^  literally,  there  is  no 
xnmber.    See  the  same  expression,  Ps.  civ.  25. 

35.  And  devoured  every  herb  in  tJieir  land^  and  devoured  tin 
fruit  of  their  ground.  The  verb,  though  varied  in  the  common 
version,  is  the  same  in  both  clauses  of  the  Hebrew.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xlviii.  46,  and  com  pare  the  original  narrative,  Ex.  x.  5,  15. 

36.  And  he  smote  all  the  firstborn  in  their  land^  t/ie  first-fruits 
of  all  their  strength.  For  the  meaning  of  the  last  clause,  see 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  51,  and  compare  Ex.  xii.  29,  30. 

37.  And  he  brought  them  out  with  silve?  u.nd  with  gold.,  and  there 
was  not  in  his  tribes  a  totttrer  (or  stumbler.)  The  first  clause 
relates  to  the  spoiling  of  the  Egyptians,  Ex.  xii.  35,  36.  The 
last  word  denotes  a  person  unfit  for  military  service.  Compare 
Isai.  V.  27. 

38.  Glad  was  Egypt  at  their  going  forth,  for  their  fear  had 
fallen  upon  them.  This  panic  terror,  which  followed  the  last 
plague  and  facilitated  the  escape  of  Israel  (Ex.  xi.  1.  xii.  31 — 33), 
accounts  for  the  readiness  with  which  the  Egyptians  gave  what- 
ever was  demanded,  and  completely  vindicates  the  children  of 
Israel  fiom  the  charge  of  borrowing  what  they  never  meant  to  pay. 
The  terms  used  in  the  history  denote  the  acts  of  asking  and 
giving,  not  those  of  borrowing  and  lending.  The  terms  of  tha 
last  clause  are  derived  from  Ex.  xv.  16.  Deut.  xi.  25. 

39  He  spread  o  cloud  for  a  covering.,  and  fire  to  give  light  by 
night      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  14.     The  poetical  description 


PSALM    CV 


59 


of  the  cloud  as  c^yvering  the  host  is  derived  from  the  statement 
that  "the  cloud  of  Jehovah  was  over  (or  above)  them  by  day," 
Num.  X.  34.    Compare  Num.  ix.  16.  Neh.  ix.  12.  Isai.  iv.  5,  6- 

40.  (The  people)  asked  and  he  made  quails  come — and  bread  of 
heaven  satisfied  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  25 — 27,  and 
compare  Ex.  xvi.  4 — 13.  Num.  xi.  31.  As  to  the  alternation  of 
the  singular  and  plural  forms,  see  above,  on  v.  24.  Bread  may 
either  be  the  subject  of  the  verb,  as  given  above,  or  a  qualifying 
term,  (with)  bread. 

41.  He  opened  a  rock  a,nd  forth  gushed  waters  ;  they  ran  in  the 
wastes^  a  river.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  16,  20.  The  word 
translated  wastes  means,  according  to  its  etymology,  dry  places. 

42.  Because  he  remembered  his  holy  word  with  Abraham  his  ser- 
vant. This  brings  us  back  to  the  statement  in  vs.  8,  9,  in  proof 
of  which  this  long  array  of  facts  has  been  presented  Nothing 
of  all  this  would  have  taken  place  if  God  had  been  forgetful  of 
his  covenant.  This  covenant  is  here  meant  by  his  holy  word^ 
which  is  therefore  followed  by  the  preposition  with,  as  in  Ex. 
ix.  24,  where  the  covenant  is  expressly  mentioned. 

43.  And  brought  out  his  people  in  joy.,  i^i  triumph  his  chosen 
{ones.)  He  remembered  his  promise  and  in  execution  of  it 
brought  out  his  people,  etc.  The  parallelism  o^ people  and  chosen 
throws  light  upon  the  latter  term,  as  used  in  v.  6. 

44.  And  gave  to  them  nations''  lands.,  and  peoples  labour  they 
inherit  The  prominent  idea  is  not  that  of  gentiles  or  heathen, 
in  the  religious  sense,  but  that  of  other  nations,  and  whole  na- 
tions, to  whose  place  and  possessions  they  succeeded.  Labour  is 
put  for  its  result  or  product,  as  a  synonymous  Hebrew  word  is  in 
Ps   Ixxviii.  46 


60  PSALM    CVI. 

45.  To  the  end  that  they  might  keep  his  %tatutc$  and  his  lawi 
observe.  Hallelujah !  The  emphatic  phrase  at  the  beginning, 
corresponding  to  our  phrases,  to  the  end,  for  the  purpose,  or  in 
order  that,  points  this  out  as  the  qualification  or  condition  of  the 
promise  which  had  been  so  gloriously  verified.  The  same  con- 
dition is  expressed  or  implied  elsewhere.  See  above,  on  Ps 
Ixxviii.  7,  and  compare  Gen.  xviii.  19.  Deut.  iv.  40.  xxvi.  17 
Hallelujah  (praise  ye  Jah)  as  above,  in  Ps.  civ.  35. 


PSALM    CVI. 

After  an  introduction,  praising  the  divine  goodness,  and  ex- 
pressing the  hope  of  a  participation  in  it,  vs.  1 — 5,  this  psalm 
contains  a  solemn  confession  of  the  sins  of  Israel  through  all  the 
periods  of  his  history  ;  in  Egypt,  v.  6 — 12  ;  in  the  wilderness, 
V.  13 — 33  ;  in  Canaan,  vs.  34 — 43  ;  and  a  prayer,  founded  on 
encouraging  tokens  of  the  Lord's  compassion,  that  he  will  save 
his  people  from  the  punishment  incurred  by  their  unfaithfulness, 
vs.  44 — 4S.  According  to  Hengstenberg's  hypothesis  already 
mentionsd,  this  is  the  third  psalm  of  the  trilogy  added  to  Ps. 
ci — ciii,  in  the  times  of  the  captivity,  and  a  direct  continuation 
of  the  series,  since  the  moral  condition  of  God's  covenant,  pro- 
pounded at  the  close  of  Ps.  cv,  is  here  acknowledged  to  have 
b^en  violated  by  his  people,  who  are  also  represented  as  actually 
BUiFerino-  the  punishment  of  this  violation,  but  encouraged  by  re- 
turning tokens  of  a  favourable  change,  to  hope  and  pray  for  the 
forgiveness  of  their  sins  and  the  removal  of  the  judgments  which 
they  have  so  well  deserved  The  first  verse  and  the  two  lasi 
form  a  part  of  the  mixed  composition  in  First  Chronicles,  which 


PSALM    CVI.  61 

has  been  already  mentioned.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xcvi.  1.  But  a 
still  more  interesting  parallel  to  this  psalm  is  the  prayer  or  con 
fession  in  the  ninth  chapter  of  Daniel,  which  resembles  it  so  much 
m  subject,  tone,  and  diction,  that  although  not  otherwise  de- 
monstrable, it  would  not  be  absurd  to  regard  the  psalm  before  ua 
as  a  lyrical  paraphrase  of  that  confession,  prepared  for  permament 
and  public  use  by  Daniel  himself  or  some  contemporary  writer. 

1.  Hallelujah  !  Give  thao^ks  unto  Jehovah,  for  {he  is)  good^fo? 
unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  The  Hallelujah  (praise  ye  Jah  !) 
which  concludes  the  two  preceding  psalms,  stands  both  at  the 
beginning  and  the  close  of  this.  The  exhortation  to  give  thanks 
unto  Jehovah  is  also  found  at  the  beirinnins:  of  Ps.  cv.  The 
reason  here  assigned,  that  he  is  good,  and  his  mercy  endures  for- 
ever^ is  expressed  in  the  same  words,  Ps.  c.  5. 

2.  Who  shall  tell  the  mighty  deeds  of  Jehovah  1  (Who)  shall 
utter  all  his  praise  ?  The  potential  meaning  (who  can  tell  ?)  is 
here  included  in  the  simple  future.  -Mighty  deeds  answers  to  a 
single  word  in  Hebrew  meaning  strengths  or  powers.  The  ex- 
pression is  borrowed  from  Deut.  iii.  24,  where  the  English  Bible 
has  the  singular  form  might.  The  verb  translated  utter  is  a 
causative,  who  shall  cause  to  hear  or  to  be  heard  }  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxvi.  7.  The  interrogation  involves  a  negative  assertion, 
namely,  that  they  cannot  be  fully  expressed  or  duly  celebrated. 

3.  Happy  the  keepers  of  judgment.,  the  doer  of  righteousness  at 
every  time.  The  form  of  expression  at  the  beginning  is  the  same 
as  in  Ps.  i.  1.  The  keepers  of  judgment  are  those  who  observe 
justice  as  the  rule  of  their  conduct,  the  same  idea  that  is  after- 
wards expressed  in  other  words,  the  doer  (ov  pracfiser)  of  rights 
eousntss.  not  occasionally  merely  but  at  all  times.  The  chanirG 
from  the  plural  to  the  singular  is  common,  where  the  latter  de- 
notes an  ideal  individual,   the  representative   of  a   whole   class 


^2  PSALM    CVI. 

The  condition  here   propounded   is   identical   with  that   in  Ps 
cv.  45.  ciii.  IS.  Dan.  ix.  4. 

4.  Bememler  we,  Jehovah^  'ijcith  the  favour  of  thy  people;  viiit 
me  with  thy  salvation.  The  speaker  is  the  Church  or  chosen 
people,  and  therefore  prays  to  be  remembered  with  the  kindness 
due  to  her  as  such.  Visit  me,  manifest  thy  favourable  presence. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  viii  5  (4.)  Such  a  prayer,  uttered  by  the 
church  itself,  implies  that  the  tokens  of  God's  favourable  presence 
had  been  interrupted  or  withdrawn. 

5.  To  witness  the  welfare  of  thy  chosen  {ones),  to  rejoice  in  tM 
joy  of  thy  nation,  to  glory  with  thy  heritage.  Our  idiom  requires 
the  subject  of  the  verb  to  be  more  distinctly  indicated.  The 
meaning  evidently  is,  that  I  may  witriess,  that  I  may  rejoice,  thai 
I  may  glory.'  The  phrase  translated  witness  the  welfare  literally 
means  to  see  in  the  good,  i.  e.  to  look  on,  to  be  a  spectator,  when 
thy  chosen  ones  are  in  possession  or  enjoyment  of  good.  Thy 
nation  is  here  used  instead  of  the  customary  phrase  thy  people, 
perhaps  because  the  meaning  is,  the  nation  which  is  thy  chosen 
people.  The  general  meaning  of  the  whole  verse  is,  that  I  may 
once  more  be  recognised  and  treated  as  thy  people. 

6.  We  hare  sinned  with  our  fathers^  we  have  done  perversely., 
we  have  done  wickedly.  The  connection  with  the  foregoing  con- 
text may  be  made  clear  by  supplying  a  few  intermediate  thoughts. 
*  True,  we  have  no  right  to  expect  this,  much  less  to  demand  it. 
We  have  not  performed  the  condition  of  thy  covenant ;  we  havo 
not  kept  thy  statutes  or  observed  thy  laws ;  we  have  not  kept 
judgment  or  done  righteousness.'  The  national  confession  here 
begun  is  nearly  co-extensive  with  the  psalm  itself.  The  terms  of 
this  verse  are  borrowed,  here  as  well  as  in  Dan.  ix.  5,  from  that 
great  model  of  e»'^clesiastical  and  national  devotion  furnished  by 
Solomon,  in  his  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple,  1  King? 


PSALM    CVI.  63 

viii.  47.  ('ompare  Isai.  lix.  12.  With  our  fathers^  not  n^erely 
like  them,  but  as  sharing  their  responsibility  and  guilt.  Of  the 
three  verbs  used  in  this  confession,  the  first  denotes  failure  to  dis- 
charge one's  obligations,  the  second  wilful  perversion  or  distor- 
tion, the  third  disorderly  or  turbulent  transgression.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  i.  1. 

7.  Our  fathers  in  Egypt  did  not  understand  thy  wondroui 
works ^  they  did  not  remember  the  abundance  of  thy  mercies,  and 
reMlcd  upon  the  sea^  at  the  Red  Sea.  The  general  confession  in 
V.  6  is  now  followed  by  a  more  detailed  acknowledgment,  begin- 
ning with  the  exodus  from  Egypt.  The  wondrous  works  of  God, 
the  things  done  wonderfully  by  him,  then  and  there,  for  the  deli- 
verance of  his  people,  the  great  body  of  them  did  not  understand. 
Even  those  who  referred  them  to  their  true  source  and  author,  did 
not  fully  appreciate  the  end  for  which  they  were  performed^  or 
enter  into  the  majestic  plan,  in  executing  which  they  were  per- 
mitted  to  be  God's  co-workers.  The  truth  of  this  charge  is  abun- 
dantly established  by  the  narrow,  grovelling,  selfish  views  and 
feelings  so  repeatedly  betrayed  by  the  generation  which  came  out 
of  Egypt,  showing  clearly  that  they  did  not  practically  understand 
God's  dealings  with  them.  This  is  probably  the  idea  meant  to  be 
conveyed  by  the  Hebrew  verb,  which  usually  means  to  act  wisely^ 
but  is  here  modified  by  governing  a  noun  directly.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  ii.  10.  xiv.  2.  The  two-fold  local  designation,  on  the  sea^  at 
the  Red  Sea,  was  probably  suggested  by  the  parallelism  in  Ex 
XV.  4.  The  variation  of  the  particle  seems  merely  a  poetical 
embellishment ;  the  difference  in  meaning  is  no  greater  than  in 
our  on  and  at.  The  Sea  of  Sea~wecd  was  the  name  given  by  the 
Hebrews  and  Egyptians  to  that  bay  or  gulf  of  the  Indian  Ocean, 
which  was  called  the  Red  Sea  by  the  Greek  geographers. 

8.  And  he  saved  them  for  his  name''s  sake,  to  make  known  his 
might.     This  is  an  a-iswer  to  a  tacit  objection,  namely,  that  their 


64  PSALM    CVr. 

conduct  had  been  sanctioned  by  God's  saving  them.  Tiue,  he 
did  save  them,  because  they  were  necessary  to  his  purpose.  He 
saved  them  not  for  their  sake  but  his  own,  to  accomplish  his  own 
ends,  and  exhibit  his  own  power. 

9.  And  he  rebuked  the  Red  Sea  and  it  dried  up,  and  he  madi 
them  go  through  the  deeps  like  the  desert.  This  is  merely  a  specifi- 
cation of  the  general  statement  in  the  preceding  verse.  The 
divine  intervention  here  commemorated  was  the  more  remarka.ble 
because  it  took  place  on  the  very  spot  where  they  first  rebelled, 
as  mentioned  in  v.  7.  Though  they  disobeyed  him  at  the  Red 
Sea,  he  nevertheless  dried  the  Red  Sea,  i.  e.  as  much  of  it  as  was 
required  to  furnish  them  a  passage.  Ilcbuked,  as  in  Ps.  civ.  7. 
Like  the  desert.,  as  in  the  desert,  i.  e.  in  a  level  and  extensive 
plain,  without  obstruction  or  unevenness.  See  my  note  on  Isai. 
Ixiii.  13,  where  the  same  comparison  is  used. 

a 

10.  And  he  saved  them  from  the  hand  of  the  hater,  and  redeemed 
them  from  the  hand  of  the  cncm.y.  Both  epithets  are  intended  to 
apply  to  Pharaoh,  not  only  as  a  personal  oppressor  of  the  Israel- 
ites, but  as  the  representative  of  Egypt,  all  of  which  now  feared 
and  hated  the  occasion  of  its  multipHed  and  aggravated  sufi"erings. 

11.  And  the  vmters  covered  their  adversaries  ;  not  one  of  them  was 
left.  The  Psalmist  dwells  upon  the  completeness  of  the  overthrow 
and  destruction  experienced  by  Pharaoh  and  his  host,  in  o'  der  to 
aggravate  the  previous  and  subsequent  ingratitude  of  Israel,  as 
well  as  to  enhance  the  free  grace  of  Jehovah,  and  the  fidelity 
with  which  he  executed  his  engagements,  even  to  the  faithless. 

12.  And  they  believe  his  icords,  they  sing  his  praise.  Then  (and 
not  till  then)  do  they  believe.  This  is  not  an  encomium  on  their 
faith,  but  a  confession  of  their  unbelief.     It  was  not  till  the  pro- 


PSALM    C\'l.  65 

liiise   was  fulfilled  that  they  believed  it.     With  the  first  clausa 
compare  Ex.  xiv.  31  ;  with  the  second,  Ex.  xv.  1 

13  They  made  haste^  they  forgot  his  deeds,  they  did  not  wait  for 
his  counsel.  Their  propensity  to  evil  was  so  strong,  that  they  are 
said  to  have  hastened  to  forget  what  God  had  done  fo-r  them,  which 
means  much  more  than  that  they  soon  forgot  it.  They  did  not 
even  wait  for  the  piomise  to  be  verified  by  the  event.  The  ex- 
pression in  the  first  clause  is  borrowed  from  Ex.  xxxii.  8.  The 
works  or  deeds  of  God  are  not  in  this  case,  as  in  Ps.  ciii.  22.  civ. 
24,  the  works  of  nture,  but  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  See  Deut. 
xi.  3,  and  compare  Dan.  ix.  4 

14.  And  they  lusted  a  lust  in  the  wilderness  and  tevipted  God  in 
the  desert.  The  confession  now  passes  from  their  sins  in  Egypt 
to  their  sins  in  the  wilderness.  The  strong;  expression  in  the  first 
clause  relates  to  their  wanton  craving  of  animal  food.  See  Num. 
xi.  4,  34.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixxviii.  18.  The 
two  words  for  wilderness  and  desert  are  the  same  as  those  in  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  40.     See  also  Ps.  Ixviii.  8  (7.) 

15.  And  he  gave  them  their  request  and  sent  (them)  leanness  in 
their  soul.  The  last  phrase  is  by  some  translated  against^  by 
others  into  their  soul ;  but  it  is  really  a  qualifying  phrase,  de- 
signed to  show  that  the  emaciation  or  decay  which  was  sent  upon 
them  was  not  bodily  but  spiritual.  See  Num.  xi.  18,  and  com- 
pare Ps.  Ixxviii.  10,  18. 

16.  A7id  they  were  envious  at  Moses  in  the  camp,  at  Aaron,  the 
Holy  One  of  Jehovah.  This  is  another  of  their  wilderness  sins. 
See  Num.  chap.  xvi.  Aaron  is  not  called  the  Sai7it  of  the  Lord 
in  reference  to  his  personal  holiness,  which  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  eminent,  but  his  Holy  (or  Consecrated)  One,  in  reference  to 
his  sacerdotal  dignity. 


46  PSALM    CVI. 

17.  (Then)  O'ptns  Ike  earth  and  swallows  Dathan^  and  ccven 
over  the  company  of  Abiram.  This  relates  to  the  destruction  of 
those  followers  of  Korah  who  were  not  Levites.  See  Num.  xvi. 
32,  33,  and  compare  Deut.  xi.  6.  From  the  first  of  these  passage? 
some  interpreters  supply  her  mouth  after  opens  ;  but  the  absolute 
use  of  the  verb  is  perfectly  consistent  with  our  idiom. 

18.  And  a  fire  devours  their  company^  a  flame  consumes  (those) 
wicked  (men.)  This  relates  to  the  destruction  of  Korah  himself 
and  his  Levitical  followers.     See  Num.  xvi.  35.  xxvi.  10. 

19.  They  make  a  calf  in  Horeh^  and  hoio  down  to  a  molten 
image.  This  was  a  third  sin  committed  in  the  wilderness.  See 
Ex.  xxxii.  1 — 6,  and  compare  Ex.  xxxiv.  4.  The  golden  calf 
appears  to  have  been  an  imperfect  and  diminutive  copy  of  the 
bull  Apis,  worshipped  in  Egypt. 

20.  And  exchange  their  glory  for  the  likeness  of  an  ox  eating 
grass.  This  must  be  read  in  the  closest  connection  with  v.  19, 
in  order  to  complete  it.  Their  folly  consisted  in  exchanging  the 
true  God,  whose  worship  and  whose  favour  was  their  highest 
honour,  for  the  mere  likeness  of  an  irrational  brute.  Eating 
grass^  not  in  the  act,  but  in  the  habit,  of  so  doing.  Although 
the  golden  calf  at  Horeb,  and  the  golden  calves  at  Dan  and  Beer- 
sheba,  were  all  regarded  as  representatives  of  Jehovah  himself, 
their  worship  was  uniformly  treated  as  idolatry,  and  as  a  virtual 
though  not  a  formal  or  avowed  renunciation  of  his  service.  Com- 
pare Jer.  ii.  10 — 13. 

21.  They  forgot  God  that  saved  them^  that  did  great  (things; 
in  Egypt.     That  saved,  that  did  ;  literally,  saving,  doing. 

22.  Wonderful  Cthings)  in  the  land  of  Ham^  terrible  (things) 
en  the  Red  Sea.     Wonderful,  literally,  (thiagsj  made  wonderful 


PSALM    CYl.  67 

or  strangely  done      Terrible,  literally,  to  be  dreaded.     Comparo 
Ps.  cv.  23,  27. 

23.  And  he  saia  he  ivould  destroy  them — unless  Moses  his  elect 
had  stood  in  the  breach  befoi'c,  him^  to  turn  hack  his  wrath  from 
destroying.  The  first  and  last  verbs  are  different  in  Hebrew, 
but  have  only  one  exact  equivalent  in  English.  The  second 
clause  is  not  a  part  of  what  God  said,  but  a  historical  statement 
of  what  really  prevented  the  execution  of  his  threatening.  Ho 
said  he  would  destroy  them,  and  he  would  have  done  so,  had  not 
Moses,  etc.  Moses  is  called  the  Elect  or  Chosen  of  Jehovah,  as 
having  been  selected  and  set  apart  to  be  God's  instinment  in  the 
great  work  of  deliverance  and  legislation.  The  plural  is  elsewhere 
applied  to  the  whole  nation  as  the  chosen  people.  See  above,  v. 
5,  and  Ps.  cv.  43.  Stood  in  the  breach  is  a  military  figure,  drawn 
from  the  desperate  defence  of  a  beseiged  town  or  fortress.  Com- 
pare Jer.  XV.  i.  Ez.  xiii.  5.  xxii.  30.  The  historical  reference  is 
to  Ex.  xxxii.  11 — 14.  Deut.  ix.  18,  19.  To  turn  back  his  wrath 
is  to  prevent  its  accomplishing  its  object.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  38,  and  compare  Num.  xxv.  11. 

24.  And  they  rejected  the  jpleasant  land,  thet  did  not  believe  his 
word.  This  refers  to  the  refusal  of  the  people  to  invade  the  land 
of  Canaan  in  the  first  year  of  their  exodus  from  Egypt,  and  to 
their  believing  the  report  of  the  ten  spies  in  preference  to  God 
himself.     See  above,  on   Ps.  Ixxviii.  22,  32,  and  compare  Num. 

.  xiv.  31.      The  land  of  desire,  the  desired  or  desirable  hnd,  is  a 
name  also  found  in  Jer.  iii.  19. 

25.  A7id  they  murmured  in  their  tents  ;  they  did  not  hearken  to 
tht  voice  of  Jehovah.  The  form  of  expression  in  the  first  clause 
is  borrowed  from  Deut.  i.  2'^  ;  in  the  second  from  Num.  xiv.  22. 

?,6.  And  he,  lifted  his  hand  to  them,  to  make  them  fall  in  th.  wil 


68  PSALM    C  VI. 

deniess.  The  first  phrase  does  not  mean,  he  raiscid  his  hand 
against  them,  or  to  strike  them,  but  as  the  ancient  gesture  of 
swearing.  See  Num.  xiv.  28,  30.  Deut.  i.  34.  ii.  14.  The  last 
clause  contains  the  oath  itself,  or  what  he  swore,  to  wit,  that  ho 
would  make  them  fall,  slay  them,  in  the  wilderness.  See  Num. 
xiv.  29,  32. 

27.  And  to  make  their  seed  fall  in  the  nations^  and  to  scatter 
them  in  the  lands.  As  the  appointed  punishment  of  the  older 
generation  was  to  die  in  the  wilderness,  so  that  of  their  descend- 
ants was  to  die  in  dispersion  and  captivity  among  the  Gentiles. 
See  Lev.  xxvi.  33,  38,  and  compare  Deut.  xxviii.  32,  36,  64,  68. 
The  recollection  of  this  threatening  must  have  been  peculiarly 
affecting  to  the  Jews  in  Babylon. 

28.  And  they  joined  themselves  to  Baal  Peor^  and  ate  the  sacri- 
fices of  the  dead.  He  now  adds  a  sin  committed  near  the  end  of 
the  long  error,  and  on  the  very  borders  of  the  Promised  Land. 
The  first  verb  is  properly  passive,  they  were  joined^  but  this 
of  course  does  not  mean  by  others  but  themselves,  and  thus  the 
simple  passive  comes  to  have  a  reflexive  meaning.  Baal  Peor  is 
the  name  given  to  Baal,  or  the  supreme  God  of  the  Tyrians 
and  Moabites,  as  he  was  worshipped,  with  licentious  rites,  at 
Poor,  a  mountain  in  the  land  of  Moab.  See  Num.  xxv.  1 — 3. 
The  dead.,  not  dead  men,  in  allusion  to  necromantic  superstitions^ 
but  the  dumb  or  lifeless  gods  whom  they  worshipped.  See  below, 
on  Ps.  cxv.  4 — 7,  and  compare  1  Cor.  xii.  2. 

29.  And  they  p-ovokcd  him  by  their  cringes,  and  the  plague 
broke  out  among  them.  The  first  verb  means  to  excite  both  grief 
and  indignation.  Compare  the  use  of  the  cognate  noun  in  Ps. 
\ri.  8  (7),  and  of  the  verb  itself  in  Ps.  Ixxviii.  68.  The  word  trans- 
lated plague,  like  its  English  equivalent,  has  both  a  generic  and 
Bpecific  meaning  ;  that  of  a  divine  stroke  or  infliction  in  general 


PSALM    C VI.  69 

and  that  of  a  pestilential  disease  in  parcicular.     See  Num.  xxv. 
18,  19. 

30.  Then  stood  wp  rhinehas  and  judged^  and  (so)  loas  stayed 
the  plague.  He  stood  (or  7-ose)  up  from  among  the  rest,  pre- 
Bented  himself  before  the  people.  He  judged  i.  e.  assumed  the 
office  and  discharged  tbe  duty,  from  which  the  regular  official 
judges  seemed  to  shrink.  The  verb  includes  the  act  both  of  pro- 
nouncing and  of  executing  judgment.  See  the  narrative  in  Num. 
ch.  XXV.  The  form  of  expression  in  the  last  clause  is  borrowed 
from  Num.  xvii.  13  (xvi.  48.) 

31.  And  it  was  reckoned  to  him  for  righteousness^  to  generation 
md  generations  even  to  eternity.  The  form  of  expression  is  bor- 
rowed from  Gron,  xv.  6  ;  but  what  is  here  meant  is  evidently  not 
x  justify  in  GJ  act  by  which  Phinehas  was  saved,  but  a  praiseworthy 
act  for  which  he,  a  justified  or  righteous  man  already,  received 
the  divine  commendation  and  a  perpetual  memorial  of  his  faith- 
fulness. Compare  Deut.  vi.  25.  xxiv.  13.  Tbe  particular  reward 
promised  (Num.  xxv.  13),  that  of  a  perpetual  priesthood,  is  not 
here  mentioned,  but  was  familiar  to  the  mind  of  every  Hebrew 
reader. 

32.  And  they  angered  (him)  at  the  ivaters  of  Strife,  and  it  went 
ill  with  MoseSy  on  their  account.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxi.  8  (7) 
xcv.  8.  xcix.  8.  The  Hebrew  word  for  strife  is  the  name  given  to 
the  place,  Meribah.  The  object  of  the  first  verb  is  Jehovah,  as 
in  V.  29.  It  went  ill  with  Moses,  or,  more  literally,  it  was  bad 
for  Moses. 

33.  For  they  resisted  his  spirit,  and  he  spake  unadvisedly  with 
his  lips.  His  spirit  may  grammatically  signify  either  that  of  GroJ 
or  that  of  Moses.  The  latest  writers  are  in  favour  of  the  first 
construction,  which  is  not  without  analogies  in  other  parts  of 


70  PSALM    CVI. 

Scripture  (Isai.  Ixiii.  10.  Epli.  'n.  30)  ,  but  the  other  seeins 
entitled  to  the  preference  in  this  connection,  because  the  first 
clause  then  contains  the  ground  or  reason  of  the  other.  It  was 
because  the  mind  of  Moses  was  excited  by  their  opposition,  that 
he  spake  unadvisedly  with  his  lips.  The  last  verb  is  one  used  in 
the  law  to  denote  a  precipitate  inconsiderate  engagement,  Lev.  v.  4. 

34.  T/iey  did  not  destroy  the  nations  which  the  Lord  said  to 
them.  The  confession  now  passes  from  the  sins  of  the  wilderness 
to  those  of  Canaan.  The  neglect  to  destroy  the  Caaaanites  com- 
pletely was  not  only  a  direct  violation!  of  God's  precept,  but  the 
source  of  nearly  all  the  public  evils  that  ensued.  There  is  no 
need  of  giving  to  the  last  verb  a  rare  and  dubious  sense  {com- 
vianded.)  The  meaning  of  the  clause  is,  which  Jehovah  said  to 
them  (must  be  destroyed.) 

35.  And  they  mixed  themselves  wit  ft,  the  nations  and  learned 
their  doings.  The  reflexive  verb  at  the  beginning  indicates  an 
active  and  deliberate  amalgamation,  as  distinguished  from  a  pas- 
sive and  involuntary  one.  The  natio7is  of  the  Canaanites,  and 
those  which  inhabited  surrounding  countries.  The  primary  idea 
is  not  that  of  gentiles  or  heathen,  in  the  religious  sense.  Lear-iied 
their  doings  or  practices,  learned  to  do  as  they  did.  With  the 
first  clause  compare  Jos.  xxiii.  12,  13.  Judg.  iii.  6;  with  the 
second,  Deut.  xviii.  9.  xx.  IS. 

36.  And  served  their  idols,  and  they  were  to  tJiem  for  a  snore. 
The  word  translated  idols,  by  its  etyn«ological  affinities,  suggests 
the  idea  of  vexations,  pains.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  4.  A  man^ 
i.  e.  a  temptation  to  idolatry.     Compare  Deut.  vii.  IG. 

37.  And  they  sacrificed  their  sons  and  their  daughters  to  fki 
demons.  This  last  is  the  Septuagint  version  and,  if  not  directly 
sanctioned,  is  at  least  referred  to  in  the  New  Testament  (1  Cor 


PSALM    CVI 


71 


X.  20.)  That  the  worship  of  idols  was  connected  with  that  of 
fallen  spirits,  is  neither  improbable  in  itself  nor  contradictory  to 
Scripture.  According  to  the  modern  etymologists,  the  Hebrew 
word  means  lords  or  masters^  and  is  a  poetical  equivalent  to 
Baalim,  which  means  the  same  thing.  Compare  Deut.  xxxii.  17, 
and  the  avQioi  of  1  Cor.  viii.  5.  The  word  translated  devils  in 
Lev.  17.  7  is  entirely  different. 

38.  And  they  shed  innocent  bloody  the  hlood  of  their  sons  and 
daughters,  which  they  sacrificed  to  the  idols  of  Catiaan ;  and  de- 
filed icas  the  land  with  Moods.  The  first  verb  means  to  pour  out 
and  here  implies  a  copious  or  abundant  bloodshed,  corresponding 
to  the  next  verb,  which  is  an  intensive  form  of  that  used  in  v.  37. 
Blood,  in  the  singular,  is  used  in  a  physical  sen.se  ;  the  plural 
bloods  in  a  moral  one,  always  implying  guilt,  and  especially  the 
guilt  of  murder.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  7  (6.)  xxvi.  9.  li.  16  (14.) 
Iv.  24  (23.)  The  first  three  members  of  the  sentence  have  re- 
spect to  the  prohibitions  in  Deut.  xii.  31.  xviii.  10.  xix.  10.  With 
the  last  clause  compare  Num.  xxxv.  33. 

39.  And  they  were  ^polluted  by  their  own  doings,  and  went 
a  whoring  by  their  own  crimes.  They  defiled  not  only  the  land 
of  promise  but  themselves.  Or  rather,  this  verse  is  explanatory 
of  the  last  clause  of  v.  38,  and  shows  that  the  pollution  of  the 
land  was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  that  of  its  inhabitants.  The 
figure  of  spiritual  whoredom  or  adultery  is  often  used  to  signify 
the  violation,  by  the  chosen  people,  of  their  covenant  with  God. 
which  is  constantly  described  as  a  conjugal  reh'^tion.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xlv  and  compare  Ps.  Ixxiii.  27.  This  is  not  stated  as 
an  additional  offence  but  as  an  aggravating  circumstance  attending 
the  iniquities  already  mentioned. 

40.  And  the  anger  of  Jehovah  was  enkindled  at  his  people,  and 
ht  abhorred  his  heritage.     This  is  the  strongest  form  in  which  hi» 


72  PSALM    CVI. 

detestation  of  their  sins  could  be  expressed,  but  does  not  nece'.i- 
sarily  imply  the  abrogation  of  his  covenant  with  them.  The 
feeling  described  is  like  that  of  a  parent  towards  his  wicked  chil- 
dren, or  of  husbands  and  wives,  who  do  not  cease  to  love  each 
other,  though  grieved  and  indignant  at  each  other's  sins.  The 
word  heritage  adds  great  point  to  the  sentence.  He  abhorred  iha 
very  people  whom  he  had  chosen  to  be  his,  not  merely  for  a  sin- 
gle generation,  but  for  many.      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  59,  62. 

41.  And  he  gave  them  into  the  hand  of  nations^  and  over  them 
ruled  their  haters.  The  same  nations  whom  they  had  rebelliously 
spared,  with  others  of  like  spirit — the  same  nations  who  had  led 
them  into  sin — were  used  as  instruments  of  punishment.  Com- 
pare Lev.  xxvi.  17.  Judges  ii.  14. 

42.  And  their  enemies  oppressed  them.,  and  they  were  bowed 
doivn  mider  their  hand.  They  not  only  governed  them,  but 
governed  them  tyrannically,  so  that  they  were  not  only  under 
coercion  and  constraint,  but  humbled  and  degraded  from  the  rank 
of  an  independent  state  to  that  of  tributaries  and  bondsmen.  With 
the  terms  of  this  verse  compare  Judg.  i.  34.  iii.  30.  iv.  3.  viJi.  28. 

43.  Many  times  he  frees  them.,  and  they  resist  (hira)  by  their 
counsel,  and  are  brought  low  by  their  guilt.  Having  given  in  the 
preceding  verses  a  brief  but  lively  summary  of  the  Book  of 
Judges,  the  Psalmist  now  passes,  by  an  almost  insensible  transi- 
tion, to  the  later  periods  of  the  history,  and  indeed  to  its  catas- 
trophe ;  for  the  meaning  of  the  last  clause  seems  to  be,  that  after 
all  their  fluctuations,  they  at  length  sink  or  fall  into  a  ruinous 
condition, as  the  ultimate  fruit  of  their  rebellions.  The  meaning 
of  the  first  clause  is,  that  by  their  self-willed  plans  and  projects 
thoy  continually  come  into  collision  with  the  will  of  God,  and 
with  that  great  providential  purpose,  in  promoting  which  it  wan 


PSALM    CVI.  70 

their  duty,  and  would  have  been  their  happiness,  to  co-operate 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Lev.  xxvi.  39.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  10. 

44.  And  he  has  lool-c.d  at  their  distress  when  he  heard  them  cry 
The  idiomatic  form  of  the  original  may  thus  be  i-epresented  by  a 
Dald  translation,  and  he  saw  in  the  distress  to  them  in  his  hearing 
their  cry.  As  this  follows  the  brief  statement  of  their  dov/nfall, 
there  is  much  probability  in  the  opinion,  that  it  relates  to  the 
"  tokens  for  good,"  which  were  granted  to  the  exiled  Jews  in 
Babylon  long  before  their  actual  restoration.  With  the  first  clause 
compare  Ex.  ii.  25.  iv.  31.  Deut.  iv.  30.  Ps.  xviii.  7.  cii.  3. 

45.  And  he  has  rememhcrcd  for  them  his  covenant^  and  repented 
according  to  the  abundance  of  his  mercy.  For  them,  i.  e.  in  their 
favour,  for  their  benefit.  It  does  not  qualify  covenant^  but  re- 
membered. With  the  first  clause  compare  Lev.  xxvi.  42,  45.  Ps. 
cv.  8,  42  ;  with  the  second,  Num.  xiv.  19.  Ps.  v.  8  (7.)  Ixix.  14 
(13.)  Neb.  xiii.  22.  The  common  version  of  the  last  word  {mercies) 
rests  upon  the  marginal  or  masoretic  reading  ;  the  more  ancient 
text  is  mercy. 

46.  And  has  given  them  favour  before  all  thdr  captors.  The 
literal  translation  of  the  first  clause  is,  and  has  given  them  for 
mercies  or  compassions.  This  remarkable  expression  is  borrowed 
from  1  Kings  viii.  50  (compare  2  Chr.  xxx.  9),  not  only  here  but 
in  the  history  of  Daniel  and  his  fellow-captives  (Dan.  i.  9),  which 
makes  it  not  at  all  improbable,  that  what  is  there  recorded  is 
among  the  indications  of  returning  divine  favour  here  referred  to 
by  the  Psalmist. 


47.  Save  us  J  Jehovah.,  our  God  ^  and  gather  us  from  the  nations  ^ 
to  give  thanks  unto  thy  holy  name.,  to  glory  in  thy  praise.  Encour- 
aged by  these  tokens  of  returning  favour,  the  church  prays  that 
the  hopes  thus  raised  may  not  be   disappointed,  but  abundantly 

VOL.    III.  4 


74  PSALM    CV    . 

fulfilled  in  the  restoration  of  the  exiles  to  their  own  land,  in  return  foi 
which  she  indirectly  engages  to  render  praise  and  thanksgiving  to 
Jehovah  as  her  liberator.  We  are  thus  brought  back  to  the  be- 
ffinnina  of  the  psalm,  and  the  voice  of  confession  is  ao;ain  lost  in 
that  of  anticipated  praise.  Instead  of  our  God^  the  parallel  pas- 
sao;e(]  Chr.  xvi.  36)  has  God  of  our  Salvation.  The  word  trans- 
lated glory  occurs  only  in  that  passage  and  the  one  before  us.  It 
is  synonymous,  however,  with  the  one  used  in  Ps.  cv.  3,  and  often 
elsewhere,  both  meaning  properly  to  praise  one's  self.  With  the 
second  clause  compare  Ps.  xxx.  5  (4.) 

48.  Blessed  (be)  Jehovah^  God  of  Israel.,  from  eternify  even  to 
eternity.  And  all  the  people  says  Amen.  Hallelujah.'  Some  inter- 
preters regard  the  psalm  as  closing  with  the  preceding  verse,  and 
the  one  before  us  as  a  doxology  added  to  mark  the  conclusion  s^f 
the  Fourth  Book.  But  here,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxii.  19,  it  is  far  mor<j 
probable  that  this  doxology  was  the  ©ccasiou  of  the  psalm's  being 
reckoned  as  the  last  of  a  Book,  notwithstanding  its  intimate  con- 
nection with  the  one  that  follows.  This  probability  is  strength- 
ened, in  the  case  before  us,  by  the  addition  of  the  words,  and  all 
the  people  says  Amen,  which  would  be  unmeaning,  unless  the 
doxology  formed  part  of  the  psalm  itself  The  additional  words 
are  borrowed  from  Beut.  xxvii.  15 — 26.  The  parallel  passage 
(1  Chr.  xvi.  36)  has,  And  all  the  people  said  Amen  and  give  praise 
(or  gave  praise)  to  Jehovah,  which  last  words  are  reptesfcr.t(d,  ia 
ihe  verse  before  us,  by  the  Hallzlujah  {Praiu  ye  Jak  !) 


PSALM    evil,  75 


P  S  A  L  M    C  V  1  1 . 

After  propounding  as  his  theme  the  goodness  of  God  in  deii' 
Vering  his  people,  and  especially  in  bringing  them  back  from  theif 
dispersions,  vs.  1 — 3,  the  Psalmist  celebrates  this  great  event, 
under  the  various  figures  of  safe  conduct  throirgh  a  desert  and 
arrival  in  a  populous  city,  vs.  4 — 9  ;  emancipation  from  imprison- 
ment, vs.  10 — 16;  recovery  from  deadly  sickness,  vs.  17 — 22; 
deliverance  from  the  dangers  of  the  sea,  vs.  23 — 32 ;  then  de- 
scribes, in  more  direct  terms,  the  fall  of  the  oppressor,  the  restora- 
tion of  Israel,  and  his  happy  prospects,  vs.  33^ — 42  ;  ending,  as 
ho  began,  with  an  earnest  exhortation  to  remember  and  comme- 
morate Jehovah's  goodness,  v.  43.  The  psalm  is  so  constructed 
as  to  admit  of  being  readily  applied,  either  literally  or  figuratively, 
to  various  emergencies  ;  but  its  primary  reference  to  the  return 
from  exile  seems  to  be  determined  by  vs.  2,  3.  According  to 
Hengstenberg's  hypothesis,  this  psalm  was  added  to  the  double 
trilogy  by  which  it  is  preceded  (Ps.  101 — 106),  immediately  after 
the  return  from  exile,  when  the  holy  city  was  re-peopled,  and  the 
first  harvest  had  been  gathered,  but  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple 
had  not  yet  begun.  The  whole  seven  then  compose  one  series  or 
system,  intended  to  be  used  together  in  the  public  worship  of  the 
ancient  church. 

1  Give  thanks  unto  Jehovah,  for  he  {is)  good,  for  unto  eternitp 
(is)  his  mercy.  The  repetition  of  the  first  words  of  the  foregoing 
psalm,  as  the  beginning  of  the  one  before  us,  strongly  favours  tha 


7R  psaL]\i  evil. 

opinion,  that  the  latter  was  designed  to  be  a  kind  of  supplement 
01-  appendix  to  the  former. 

2.  (So)  sny  the  Redeemed  of  Jehovah^  tvhom  he  has  redeemed 
from  the  hand  of  distress  (or  of  i'he  enemy.)  What  they  are  to  say 
\6  not  the  exhortation  in  the  first  clause,  but  the  reason  for  it  in 
tiie  last  clause,  of  the  foregoing  verse.  Let  them  acknowledge  his 
unceasing  mercy,  who  have  just  experienced  so  remarkable  a 
proof  of  it.  The  ambiguous  word  ("ii:)  should  probably  be  taken  in 
tlie  same  sense  which  it  elsewhere  has  throughout  this  psalm. 
See  below,  vs.  6,  13,  19,  28,  and  compare  Ps.  cvi.  44.  Indeed 
the  two  senses  may  be  reconciled  by  simply  supposing  the  distress 
to  be  personified.  Compare  the  unambiguous  expression  in  Ps. 
cvi.  10.  The  Redeemed  of  the  Lord  is  a  favourite  expression  of 
Isaiah  (xxxv.  9,  10.  Ixii.  12.  Ixiii.  3.) 

3.  And  from  the'lands  has  gathered,  them.,  from  the  east  and 
from  the  iccst.^  from  the  north  and  from  the  sea.  The  Babylonish 
exile  is  continually  spoken  of  as  a  dispersion,  either  because  it  is 
considered  as  including  other  minor  deportations,  or  because  the 
migration  of  the  great  mass  of  the  people  into  Babylonia  was  un- 
avoidably accompanied,  followed,  or  preceded,  by  a  less  extensive 
and  more  scattering  migration  of  many  individuals  and  families  to 
other  quarters.  On  the  false  assumption  of  a  perfect  parallelism 
as  indispensable,  some  have  supposed  that  sea  is  here  put  for  the 
south.  But  this  is  not  the  only  case  in  which  the  enumeration  of 
the  cardinal  points  is  complete  only  in  number.  See  Isai.  xlix.  12, 
and  compare  Isai.  xliii.  5,  6.  Ivi.  8.  The.  mention  of  the  sea  in- 
stead of  the  south  may  perhaps  have  reference  to  the  prophecy  in 
Deut.  xxviii.  68  The  verse  before  us  records  the  answer  to  the 
prayer  in  Ps.  cvi.  47  and  thus  affords  another  indication,  that  tlie 
writer  of  the  later  composition  had  the  earlier  in  his  eye^  and 
wrote  with  some  intention  to  illustrate  or  complete  it. 


PSALM    C  VI  T.  77 

4.    They  wandered  in  the  urilderness,  in  a  desert  umy  ;  a  city  of 
kahitation  found  they  not.     Here   begins  the   first  metaphorical 
account  of  the  Captivity  and  Restoration,  in  which  the  exiles  are 
described  as  wanderers  in  a  desert  loay,  i.  e.  as  some  suppose  a 
pathless  desert,  which  sense,  however,  can  scarcely  be  extracted 
from  the  Hebrew  words.      Others  understand  the  phrase  to  mean 
a  way,  i.  e.  a  course,  a  region  to  be  traversed,  which  is  desert  • 
but  this  supposes  way  to  be  the  subject  and  desert  the  qualifyintr 
term,  as  they  would  be  in   English,  but  in    Hebrew  the  precise 
sense  is  a  desert  of  luay,  or  a  way-desert,  which  some  interpreters 
explain  to  mean  a  desert  in  reference  to  its  waj-s  or  paths,  thus 
arriving,  by  a  diiFerent  course,   at  the   meaning  first  suggested 
namely,  that  of  a  pathless  wilderness.      Cify  of  hnhitaiion  may 
mean  a  habitable  or  inhabited  city  in  general,  or  a  city  for  them 
to  inhabit  in  paiticular.     The  latter  is  more  probable,  because  the 
word  translated  habitation  is   not  an   abstract   but  a  local  noun 
meaning  the  place  where  men  sit  or  dwell,  according  to  the  pri 
maiy  and  secondary  meaning  of  the  verbal  root.     See  above,  on 
Ps.  i.  1.     It  may  here  be  either  governed  by  city^  as  above,  or  in 
apposition  with  it,  a  city,  a  di.rel/ing-p/ace,  i.  e.  a  city  in  which 
they  might  dwell.      There    is  obvious  allusion    to  Jerusalem,  as 
well  as  to  the  great  Arabian  wilderness,  although  the  contrast  of 
the  city  and  the  desert  suggests  the  idea  of  suifering  and  relief,  by 
a  natural  as  well  as  a  historical  association.     See  Ez.  xxix.  5,  and 
con.pare  Job  xii.  24. 

5.  Hungry — also  thirsty — their  soul  in  them  shrouds  itself. 
This  verse  continues  the  description  of  the  wanderers  in  the 
desert.  To  avoid  the  ambiguity  of  an  exact  version,  in  which 
hungry  and  thirsty  might  seem  to  agree  with  soul,  the  substantive 
verb  may  be  supplied  in  the  first  clause,  {they  are)  hungry,  also 
thirsty.  The  primary  sense  of  the  reflexive  verb  at  the  end  of  the 
sentence  seems  to  be  that  of  covering  one's  self  with  darkness,  or 
sinking  overwhelmed  beneath  some  great  calamity.     See  above, 


78  PSALMCVII. 

on  Ps.  Ixxvii.  4(3),  and  compa^'e  the  cognate  forms  in  Vs.  Ixi.  3 
(2.)  Ixv.  14  (13.)  cii.  i.  Isai.  Ivii.  16. 

6.  And  they  cried  to  Jehovah  hi  their  distress  ;  from  their  straits 
he  frees  them.  Both  the  nouns,  according  to  their  etymology, 
convey  the  idea  of  pressure,  compression,  painful  restraint.  In 
their  distress,  literally,  hi  the  distress  to  them,  that  which  they  had 
or  suffered.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cvi  44,  and  compare  Deut.  iv.  30. 
The  change  from  the  past  tense  to  the  future  seems  intended 
merely  to  describe  the  act  denoted  by  the  second  as  more  recent 

7.  And  he  led  them  in  a  straight  course,  to  go  to  a  city  of  hahi 
tation.  No  exact  version  can  preserve  or  imitate  the  paronomasia 
arising  from  the  etymological  affinity  of  the  first  verb  and  noun, 
analojrous  to  that  between  the  Eno;Iish  walk  and  to  walk,  thouirh 
the  Hebrew  forms  are  only  similar  and  not  identical.  The  idea 
of  physical  rectitude  or  straightness  necessarily  suggests  that  of 
moral  rectitude  or  honesty,  commonly  denoted  by  the  Hebrew 
word. 

8.  Let  (such)  give  thanks  to  Jehovah  (for)  his  mercy,  and  his 
wonderful  works  to  the  sons  of  7nan.  Some  interpreters  make 
this  the  close  of  a  long  sentence,  beginning  with  v.  4,  and  adopt, 
in  all  the  intervening  verses,  a  relative  construction,  as  if  he  had 
said,  let  such  as  wandered  in  the  wilderness,  whose  soul  fainted  in 
them,  who  cried  unto  the  Lord,  whom  he  led  etc.  let  such  give 
thanks  unto  his  name.  But  although  this  is  certainly  the  logical 
connection  of  the  passage,  its  involution  and  complexity  of  forru 
are  as  far  as  possible  removed  fi-om  the  simplicity  of  Hebrew 
syntax,  which  prefers  a  distinct  enunciation  of  particulais  to  all 
such  artificial  combinations.  This  verse  constitutes  the  burden  or 
chorus  of  the  psalm. 

9.  For  he  has  satisfied   ihe  craving  soul,  and  the  hungry  sou* 


PSALM    CVII.  79 

has  filled,  with  good.  This  is  merely  the  conclusion  of  the  first 
scene  or  picture,  with  a  change  of  figure  but  a  very  slight  one, 
as  the  want  of  food  is  one  of  the  most  painful  and  familiar 
hardships  of  a  journey  through  a  desert,  and  as  such  would 
necessarily  occur  to  every  Israelite  who  knew  the  story  of  the 
error  in  the  wilderness.  The  first  verb  has  the  same  sense  as  in 
Ps.  civ.  13 ;  the  last  noun  the  same  sense  as  in  Ps.  ciii.  4.  civ.  28, 
The  unusual  word  translated  craving  is  borrowed  from  Isai,  xxix.  8. 

10.  Dwelling  in  darkness  and  deathshade^  bound  in  affiidiaa 
and  iron.  Here  begins  the  second  picture  which  exhibits  the 
same  sufferers,  no  longer  as  wanderers  in  the  desert,  but  as  closely 
confined  prisoners.  The  darkness  primarily  meant  is  that  of  the 
dungeon,  but  not  without  reference  to  the  frequent  use  of  dark- 
ness in  general  as  an  emblem 'of  misery.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii. 
7(6.)  The  idea  of  darkness  is  then  expressed  in  a  still  stronger 
form  by  the  striking  compound  deathshade  or  shadow  of  death,  a 
bold  but  beautiful  description  of  the  most  profound  obscurity. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiii.  4.  The  leading  words  of  the  two  clauses 
might,  in  one  respect,  be  more  exactly  rendered,  inhabitants  of 
darkness^  'prisoners  of  affliction.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  61 
There  is  no  mixture  of  literal  and  figurative  terms  in  the  last 
clause,  but  only  the  addition  of  a  specific  to  a  general  term 
The  affliction  particularly  meant  is  that  produced  by  iron.,  i.  e. 
chains  or  fetters.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cv.  18,  and  with  the  verse 
before  us  compare  Isai.  xlii.  7.  xlix.  9.  Job  xxxvi.  8.  Luke  xiii. 
16. 

1 1 .  Because  they  resisted  the  words  of  the  Mightiest.,  a7id  the 
coujisel  of  the  Highest  contemned.  This  verse  introduces  what 
was  wanting  in  the  first  scene,  the  fact  that  these  were  not  inno- 
cent sufferers.  However  cruel  or  unjust  their  sufferings  at  the 
hands  of  men,  they  were  but  condign  punishments  as  sent  by  Grod. 
This   is  a  point  of  contact  and  reseujblauce   with  the  preceding 


80  PSALM    CVII. 

psalm,  wLicli  is  not  without  importance.  Resisted^  rebelled  against, 
a  favourite  expression  in  these  psalms.  See  above,  on  Ps,  cv.  28 
cvi.  7,  33,  43.  Words  or  sayings^  commoolj  applied  to  promises, 
and  even  here  combining  that  idea  with  the  sense  of  command, 
because  the  command  which  they  resisted  or  rebelled  against  had 
reference  to  the  plan  or  counsel  of  the  Lord  for  the  deliverance  of 
his  people.  The  word  translated  mightiest  is  (b^?:)  one  of  the  divinfi 
names,  here  represented  by  an  English  superlative,  in  order  to 
preserve  the  antithesis  with  Most  High  in  the  other  clause. 

12.  And  he  brought  doion^  icith  troulle^  their  heart;  thty 
stumbled  and  there  was  no  helper.  The  remedial  design  and 
eifect  of  their  punL-ihraent  are  beautifully  set  forth  in  the  first 
clause.  The  word  ti-anslated  trouble  means  originally  work  or 
labour,  then  the  pain  attenaing  it  or  flowing  from  it.  StuvibUd 
may  here  be  put  for  fell.^  or  have  the  milder  sense  of  tottering  or 
stumbling,  as  distinguished  from  a  total  fall.  No  hdper\  or  none 
helpings  except  God,  as  intimated  in  the  next  verse  ;  or  against 
God,  when  he  chose  to  punish  them. 

13.  And  they  cried  to  Jehovah  in  their  distress;  out  of  their 
straits  he  saves  them.  An  exact  repetition  of  v.  6,  except  that  the 
first  verb  is  exchanged  for  a  cognate  one,  differing  only  in  a  single 
letter,  and  the  last  verb  for  a  synonyme  still  more  familiar.  As 
to  the  consecution  of  the  tenses,  see  above,  on  v.  6. 

14.  He  brings  them  out  from  darkness  and  dcathshade^  ai.d 
their  bonds  he  severs.  The  terms  used  in  describing  the  deliver- 
ance are  studiously  made  to  correspond  with  the  account  of  the 
captivity  in  v.  10.  It  is  more  remarkable,  though  possibly  for- 
tuitous, that  the  words  of  the  second  clause  are  the  same  which 
David  puts  into  the  mouth  of  the  revolted  nations,  Ps.  ii.  3.  The 
English  word  severs  is  here  used  instead  of  breaks^  in  order  to  re- 
present the  more  imcommon  and  poetical  term  used  in  Hebrew 


PSALM    CVII,  g| 

15,  16.  Ld  (such)  give,  thanks  unto  Jehovah  {for)  his  mercy^ 
and  his  wonderful  works  to  the  sons  of  man^  because  he  has  broken 
doors  of  brass,  and  bars  of  iron  has  cut  asnnvhr .  The  burden 
111  V.  15  is  in  all  respects  identical  with  v.  8,  but  the  supplemen- 
tary verse  differs,  according  to  the  prominent  figures  in  the  two 
Bcenes  or  pictures.  As  the  idea  of  famine  was  selected,  in  v.  9, 
from  among  the  hardships  of  the  wilderness,  so  here  the  fastenings 
of  the  prison  are  presented  in  precisely  the  same  manner.  In 
this  striking  regularity  of  form,  combined  with  vividness  and  beauty 
of  conception,  there  is  evidence  of  art  and  skill  as  well  as  genius. 
The  verb  in  the  first  clause  of  v.  16  is  an  intensive  form  of  the 
verb  to  break,  and  might  here  be  rendered  shattered,  shivered,  or  the 
like.  The  corresponding  verb  in  the  last  clause  is  a  similar  in- 
tensive of  the  verb  to  cut.  The  whole  verse  is  copied  from  Isai 
xlv.  2,  where  we  find  the  promise,  of  which  this  is  the  fulfilment 

17.  Fools  by  their  course  of  transgression,  and  by  their  crimes, 
affiict  themselves.  Here  begins  the  third  scene  or  picture,  at  the 
very  opening  of  which  the  charge  of  folly  is  added  to  the  previous 
one  of  guilt.  The  reflexive  meaning  of  the  verb  is  essential  and 
cannot  be  diluted  into  a  mere  passive,  without  weakening  the 
whole  sentence,  the  very  point  of  which  consists  in  making  them 
the  o-uilty  authors  of  their  own  distresses.  The  word  for  trans- 
gression is  the  one  that  originally  means  revolt  from  God, 
apostasy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  2  (1.)  Course,  literally, 
way  or  path.  By,  literally,  from,  as  when  we  speak  of  an  effect 
as  arising  or  proceeding  from  a  cause. 

18.  All  food  their  soul  ahhors,  and  they  draw  nmr  to  the  very 
gates  of  death.  This  verse  abruptly  brings  before  us  the  sama 
persons  whom  we  lately  beheld  wandering  in  1«he  desert,  and  then 
chained  in  a  dark  dung-^on,  now  suffering  from  disease,  such  aa 
not  only  mars  their  pleasures,  but  threatens  to  abbreviate  their 
lives.     Compare  Ps.  cii.  3.  Job  xxxiii.  20.     The  expression  vert 

4* 


82  PSALM    evil. 

gates^  in  the  translation  of  the  last  clause,  is  intended  lo  convey 
the  full  force  of  the  Hebrew  preposition  p5)  which  is  stronger 
+han  (t^)  to.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  11  (10.)  With  the  last 
clause  compare  Ps.  ix.  14.  Ixxxviii.  4  (3.)  Job.  xxxiii.  22.  Isai. 
xxxviii.  9 

19  ATid  they  cry  to  Jehovah  in  their  distress;  out  of  thdr 
straits  he  saves  them.  See  above  on  vs.  6,  13,  with  the  last  of 
which  this  agrees  exactly. 

20.  He  sends  his  word  and  heals  them,  and  makes  them  escape 
from  their  destructions,  i.  e.  those  which  threatened  them,  and 
from  which  escape  appeared  impossible.  He  sends  his  word,  he 
issues  his  command,  exerts  his  sovereign  power  and  authority. 
The  last  word  in  the  Hebrew  occurs  only  here  and  once  in 
Lamentations  (iv.  20.)  The  modern  interpreters  have  pits  or 
graves;  but  such  a  derivation  from  the  verbal  root  is  without 
example  or  analogy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvi.  10-  With  the  first 
clause  compare  Ps.  xxx.  3  (2.)  xxxiii.  9.  Isai.  Ivii.  18  ;  with  the 
last  Ps.  ciii.  4. 

21,  22,  Let  (such)  give  thanks  unto  Jehovah  (for)  his  mercy 
and  his  wonderful  tcorks  to  the  sons  of  man  ;  and  let  them  sacri- 
fice sacrifices  of  thanksgiving,  and  recount  his  deeds  with  (joyful) 
singing.  The  freedom  from  technical  and  artificial  rules  of 
rhetoric  or  versification,  even  in  those  parts  of  the  composition 
which  exhibit  most  of  art  and  skill,  is  peculiarly  observable  ia  this 
verse,  where,  instead  of  adding  to  the  uniform  chorus  or  refrain 
gome  particular  image  from  the  scene  just  closing,  as  in  vs.  9^ 
16,  the  Psalmist  continues  and  completes  the  sentence  by  repeat- 
ing the  exhortation  to  give  thanks,  in  another  but  still  figurative 
form,  derived  from  the  musical  and  sacrificial  customs  of  the 
temple  worship.     They  must  not  only  utter  thanks  but  offer  then} 


PSALM    CVII.  g3 

in  sacrifice.      They  must  not  only  offer  them  in  sacrifice  but  sing 
them.     With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  1.  14. 

23.  Going  down  the  sea  in  ships,  doing  business  in  the  many 
waters.     Here  again  the  scene  is    shifted,  and  the  exiles  pas3 
before  us,  not  as  wanderers  in  the  desert,  or  as  captives  in  the 
dungeon,  or  as  suffering  from  sickness,  but  as  mariners  engaged 
in  an  adventurous  voyage.    Descending,  going  down,  seems  to  be 
an  idiomatic  phrase,  borrowed  from  Isai.  xlii.  10,  and  equivalent 
to  going  out  to  sea  in  English.     The  expression  may  have  refer- 
ence to  the  general  elevation  of  the  land  above  the  water  (see 
above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  2),  but  is  directly  opposite  to  our  phrase,  the 
high  seas,  and  to  the  classical  usage  of  ascending  ships,  i.  e.  em- 
barking,   and  descending,  i.  e.  landing.      Doing  business  has  its 
ordinary  sense,  as   applied  to  trade  or  traffic.     The  last  words 
may  also  be  translated  great  or  mighty  waters  ;  but  the  usage  of 
the  Psalms  is  in  favour  of  the  version  mnm/  waters,  which  more- 
over forms  a  beautiful  poetical  equivalent  to  sea  or  ocean.     This 
image  could  not  fail  to  suggest,  however  indirectly,  the   idea  of 
the  world  with  its  commotions,  of  which   the  constant  emblem  is 
the  sea.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  4  (3.)  Ixv.  8  (7.)  Ixxxix.  10  (9.) 
xciii.  3,  4,   and    compare    Matt.  viii.  23 — 26.  Mark  iv.  36 — 41. 
Luke  viii.  22—25. 

24.  They  saw  the  loorks  of  Jehovah,  and  his  wonders  in  the  deep. 
The  pronoun  at  the  beginning  is  emphatic,  (it  is)  they  (that)  see 
(or  saw)  the  works  of  the  Lord,  as  if  others  could  lay  claim  to 
no  such  privilege  or  honour.  Both  the  senses  of  the  phrase  Godh 
works  are  appropriate  in  this  connection,  his  works  of  creation 
and  his  works  of  providence.  The  last  word  is  another  poetical 
equivalent  to  sea  or  ocean.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  3  (2.) 

25.  A'nd  he  said — and  there  arose  a  stormy  wind,  and  it  lifted 
Kf)  his  leaves.     He  now  parenthetically  specifies  some  of  the  divina 


S4  PSALM    CVII. 

works  which  he  had  just  mentioned  in  the  genercal.  The  form  of 
expression  at  the  beginning,  as  in  all  like  cases,  involves  an  allu- 
sion to  the  history  of  the  creation,  where  each  creative  act  is  pre- 
ceded by  God's  saying,  let  it  be.  So  here,  the  full  sense  is,  and 
God  said  (let  a  stormy  wind  arise)  and  a  stormy  wind  arose.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxxiii.  9.  Arose.,  literally,  stood,  stood  up,  as  in 
Pb.  cvi.  30.  A  stormy  ivind,  literally,  a  wind  of  storm  or  tem- 
pest. Instead  cf //is  waves  we  may  read  its  waves,  and  refer  the 
pronoun  to  the  remoter  antecedent  (sea)  in  v.  23.  Deep,  in  v. 
24,  is  of  a  different  gender.  It  is  equally  correct,  however,  and 
more  natural,  to  refer  it  to  Jehovah,  as  the  maker  of  ihe  sea  and 
the  ruler  of  its  waves.  Compare  the  expression  thj.  waves  and 
thy  billows  in  Ps.  xlii.  8.     See  also  Isai.  li.  15.  Jer.  xxxi.  35. 

26.  They  rise  (to)  the  heavens  ;  they  sink  {to)  the  depths;  their 
soul  with  evil  dissolves  itself.  That  the  verbs  in  the  first  clause 
relate  not  to  the  waves  but  to  the  mariners,  is  evident  from  the 
last  clause.  The  words  rise  and  sink  are  used  instead  of  ascend.^ 
descend,  or  go  up,  go  down,  because  the  Hebrew  verbs  have  no 
etymological  affinity,  nor  even  a  single  letter  common  to  theii 
roots.  The  ellipsis  of  the  preposition  to  is  frequent,  or  rather 
verbs  of  motion  in  Hebrew  may  be  construed  directly  with 
a  noun,  where  our  idiom  requires  the  intervention  of  a  par- 
ticle. Evil  in  the  last  clause  may  denote  their  evil  state  or 
painful  situation,  with  all  the  circumstances  comprehended  in 
\t  ;  or  more  specifically,  their  distress  and  painful  feelings.  Com- 
pare Gen.  xli.  29.  The  reflexive  form  of  the  last  verb  is  not 
essential  to  the  meaning  of  the  sentence,  as  in  v.  17,  and  may 
tlierefore  be  explained  as  an  intensive  or  emphatic  passive,  it  is 
melted.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  15  (14.)  With  the  whole  verso 
compare  Ps.  civ.  8. 

27.  They  reel  and  stagger  like  a  drunken  (mail),  and  all  their 
wisdom  is  confounded.     By  wisdom  we  are  here   to    understand 


PSALM    CVII, 


85 


reason^  common  sense,  that  which  makes  men  rational  and  raises 
them  above  the  brutes.  This  is  plain  from  the  comparison  with 
dimnkenness,  the  only  point  of  which  must  be  the  loss  of  reason. 
The  reeling  and  staggering  may  relate  to  the  irregular  and  violent 
motion  of  a  vessel  in  a  storm,  or,  as  the  last  clause  does,  to  the 
mariners  themselves.  The  last  verb  literally  means  is  swallowed 
%p,  or  retaining  the  reflexive  form,  still  more  strongly,  swallows 
itself  up.     But  see  above,  on  the  last  word  of  v.  26. 

28.  And  they  cried  to  Jehovah  in  their  distress ,  and  out  of  then 
straits  he  brings  them  forth.  The  consecution  of  the  tenses  cor- 
responds to  the  relation  of  the  acts  which  they  denote,  as  viewed 
by  a  spectator.  '  Now  they  have  cried  to  the  Lord,  and  now  ha 
is  bringing  them  forth.'  The  verse  differs  from  vs.  13,  19,  in 
the  first  verb,  which  agrees  with  v.  6,  and  in  the  last  verb  which 
is  unlike  both. 

29.  He  stills  the  storm  to  a  calm.,  and  silent  are  their  waves. 
This  is  an  amplification  of  the  last  phrase  in  v.  28,  and  shows 
how  it  is  that  he  brings  them  forth.  The  first  verb  strictly  means 
hz  makes  it  stand.^  but  in  a  sense  directly  opposite  to  that  of  a 
synonymous  though  different  verb  in  v.  25.  Calm,.,  literally, 
silence,  stillness.  Their  waves.,  the  waves  from  which  they  suf- 
fer, by  which  they  are  buffeted.      Compare  his  waves  in  v.  25. 

30.  And  they  are  glad  that  they  are  quiet.,  and  he  guides  them  to 
their  desired  haven.  The  connection  might  be  ren.dered  clearer 
by  translating  with  the  English  Bible,  then  are  they  glad^  etc. 
The  last  word  in  the  verse  occurs  only  here,  and  is  by  some 
translated  shore.,  by  others  goal  ;  but  it  is  safer  to  retain  the  old 
interpretation,  which  affords  a  perfectly  good  sense,  and  resta 
upon  the  joint  authority  of  the  Babbinioal  tradition  and  the 
Septuagint  version 


56  PSALM    CVII. 

31,  32.  Let  (sucli)  give  thanks  to  Jehovah  (for)  his  Tnircy^  and 
his  wonderful  works  to  the  sons  of  man  ;  and  let  them  exalt  him  in 
the  congregation  of  the  people^  and  in  the  session  of  the  ciders  praise 
him.  Here  again  we  have  a  striking  instance  of  variety  combined 
with  uniformity.  The  burden  or  chorus,  as  in  v.  22,  is  followed 
by  a  solemn  exhortation  to  connect  the  required  thanksgiving 
with  the  forms  of  public  worship.  But  instead  of  the  temple  with 
its  sacrifices  and  its  chants,  the  reference  in  this  case,  it  should 
seem,  is  to  the  spiritual  worship  of  the  synagogue.  The  word 
translated  congregation  is  one  constantly  applied  to  Israel,  as 
actually  gathered  at  the  place  of  worship. '  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxii.  23  (22.)  The  word  session  is  employed  in  the  translation 
of  the  last  clause,  not  for  the  sake  of  a  verbal  coincidence  with 
Presbyterian  institutions,  a  coincidence  however  which  is  not  to 
be  denied,  but  because  it  adequately  represents  the  Hebrew 
(r:p"i?2)  in  its  double  acceptation,  as  denoting  both  the  act  and 
the  place  of  sitting,  and  especially  of  sitting  together.  See 
above,  on  v.  4.  The  elders.,  here  as  elsewhere,  are  the  heads  of 
tribes  and  families,  the  hereditary  chiefs  and  representatives  of 
Israel. 

33.  He  turns  streams  into  a  wilderness.,  and  springs  of  water 
to  a  thirsty  place.  As  the  shifting  of  the  scene  is  not  renewed  in 
the  remainder  of  the  psalm,  which,  on  the  other  hand,  if  viewed 
as  a  distinct  and  independent  portion  of  the  poem,  mars  its 
Bymmetry  of  structure,  it  seems  best  to  regard  these  verses  as 
an  episode  belonging  to  the  last  scene  and  containing  the  praises 
of  the  people  and  their  elders.  The  figures  in  this  verse  are 
often  used,  particularly  by  Isaiah,  to  denote  an  entire  revolution, 
whether  physical  or  moral,  social  or  political.  Compare  Isai 
xliv.  26,  27.  1.  2.  Jer.  1.  38.  li.  36.  It  thus  prepares  the  way 
for  the  subsequent  rejoicings  in  the  downfall  of  Babylon  and  the 
restoration  of  the  exiled  Jews 


PSALM    CVII.  g7 

34.  A  frvitful  land  to  saltness,  for  the  wickedness  of  those  dweU 
ttng  in  it.  The  sentence  is  continued  from  the  foregoing  verse, 
the  nouns  being  governed  by  the  verb  he  turns.  The  first  phrase 
literally  means  a  land  of  fruit.  The  next  noun  may  be  taken 
either  in  the  abstract  sense  of  saltness  or  the  concrete  one  of  a 
valine  soil  or  region,  and  by  implication  barren.  For,  literally 
from,  as  in  v.  17  above.  Compare  the  threatening  in  Lsai.  xiii. 
19,  and  the  great  historical  type  of  all  such  judgments,  the  de- 
struction of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 

35.  He  turns  a  desert  to  a  pool  of  water,  and  a  dry  land  into 
springs  of  water.  This  is  the  reverse  of  the  description  in  v.  33, 
to  which  the  terms  are  studiously  conformed.  In  both  cases  the 
first  verb  literally  means  he  sets  or  puts,  and  the  noun  translated 
springs  means  issues  or  places  where  the  waters  issue.  Compare 
tsai.  XXXV.  7.  xli.  18.  xliii.  20. 

36.  And  has  settled  there  famished  (men),  and  they  have  estahlished 
a  city  to  dwell  in.  There  is  no  need  of  assuming,  that  the  desert 
thus  transformed  is  Palestine  or  Canaan.  It  is  better  to  adhere 
to  the  genei-al  import  of  the  figures,  which  is  change  for  the  bet- 
ter. Settled,  literally,  caused  to  dwell.  The  primary  meanin<* 
of  the  last  clause  is  that  those  once  homeless  have  a  home  ;  but 
there  is  of  course  a  reference  to  the  repossession  and  rebuilding 
of  Jerusalem.  The  last  phrase  in  Hebrew  is  the  same  with  that 
translated  city  of  hahitatio7i  in  v.  4. 

37.  And  have  sowed  fields,  and  planted  vineyards,  and  mad^ 
fruitf  of  increase.  The  form  of  all  these  verbs  requires  them  to 
be  understood,  like  those  of  v.  36,  as  referring  to  time  actually 
past,  from  which  some  ha^e  inferred  that  the  date  of  the  psalm 
itself  lay  between  the  first  ingathering  of  the  fruits  by  the  returned 
Jews  and  the  founding  of  the  temple,  to  which  there  is  here  no 
allusion.     The  word  translated  increase  is  applied  elsewhere   kd 


88  PSALM    CVII, 

the  annual  productions  of  the  earth.  See  Lev.  xxv.  16.  To  maKe 
these  is  to  gain  or  acquire  them  by  cultivation,  as  we  speak  of 
making  money,  but  of  raising  corn.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  14 
(12.) 

38.  And  he  has  blessed  them ,  and  they  have  increased  greatly, 
and  (even)  their  cattle  he  does  not  diminish.  Increased.^  not  in 
numbers  merely,  but  in  wealth,  strength,  and  prosperity.  See 
Deut.  XXX.  16.  The  verb  to  diminish  is  borrowed  from  Lev. 
xxvi.  22.  The  negation  may  be  understood  as  a  mciosis^  meaning  to 
increase  or  multiply.  The  whole  of  this  description  agrees  well 
with  the  encouraging  appearances,  by  which  the  Restoration  waa 
attended  and  immediately  followed,  before  the  colony  experienced 
reverses  or  had  lost  the  fresh  impression  of  their  recent  sufferings 
and  privations,  which  are  mentioned  in  the  next  verse. 

39.  And  they  were  diminished  and  brought  loiv,  from  oppressio^i, 
suffering,  and  grief.  The  only  grammatical  construction  of  the 
verbs  is  that  which  refers  them  to  a  former  timtj,  i.  e.  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  people  under  Babylonian  oppression.  The  sense  is 
therefore  quite  mistaken  in  the  English,  though  correctly  given  in 
the  ancient  versions.  The  contrast  is  intended  to  enhance  tho 
joy  and  thankfulness  of  the  restored  exiles.  These,  now  so  pros- 
perous, are  the  very  men  who  lately  were  in  abject  misery. 

40.  Pouring  contempt  on  princes — and  he  has  made  thmi  wan- 
der in  a  waste  (where  there  is)  no  way.  From  the  exiles  ho 
reverts  to  their  Deliverer,  and  describes  him  as  spurning  the  most 
lordly  of  their  persecutors — nay  as  making  them  take  the  place 
of  those  whom  they  oppressed,  which  idea  is  conveyed  by  the 
figure  before  used  of  wanderers  in  a  pathless  desert.  See  above, 
on  V.  4,  and  compare  Job.  xii.  21,  24.  The  word  for  waste  or 
void  is  one  of  those  used  in  Gen.  i.  2,  to  describe  the  original  con 
dition  of  the  earth. 


PSALM    CVIII.  gg 

41 .  And  has  raised  the  poor  from  affliction^  and  made  like  a  Jlock 
families.  The  first  verb  suggests  the  two-fold  idea  of  elevation 
from  a  wretched  state,  and  security  from  future  danger.  For  its 
ordinary  sense,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xx.  2  (1.)  xci.  14.  The  last 
clause  simply  means,  he  has  increased  the  people  who  were  sc 
-educed  in  strength  and  numbers. 

42.  The  righteous  shall  see  and  rejoice,  and  all  iniquity  stop  her 
mouth.  The  righteous  are  the  true  Israel,  as  in  Ps.  xxxiii.  1. 
Num.  xxiii.  10.  Dan.  xi.  17.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Job 
V.  16.  Isai  lii.  15. 

43.  Who  (is)  wise  and  will  observe  these  things,  and  attentively 
consider  the  mercies  of  Jehovah  1  The  change  of  number  in  the 
Hebrew  does  not  affect  the  meaning.  Whoever  is  wise  will  ob- 
serve these  things,  and  all  who  are  wise  will  consider  them 
With  this  conclusion  compare  Hos.  xiv.  10.  Isai.  xlii.  23.  Jer.  ix. 
11. 


PSALM    C  Y I  I  I . 


1.  A  Song.  A  Fsalm..  By  David.  This  is  not  an  original 
or  independent  composition,  but  a  compilation  from  two  other 
psalms,  which  have  already  been  explained.  The  introduction 
vs.  2 — 6  (1 — 5)  is  substantially  identical  with  Ps.  Ivii.  S — 12 
(7—11)  ;  the  body  of  the  psalm,  vs.  7—13  (6—12),  with  Ps 
Ix.  7 — 14  (5 — 12.)  The  supposition  of  erroneous  copies,  or  of 
later  corruptions,  is  still  more  improbable  in  this  case  than  in 
those  of  Ps.  xviii,  liii,  Ixx.     The  best  solution  which  has  becc 


90  PSALM    CVITI. 

proposed  is,  that  David  himself  combined  these  passages  to  ba 
the  basis  of  a  trilogy  (Ps.  cviii — ex),  adapted  to  the  use  of  the 
church  at  a  period  posterior  to  the  date  of  Ps.  Ivii.  and  Ix.  The 
comments  here  will  be  confined  to  the  variations,  as  in  Ps.  liii 
and  Ixx. 

2(1.)  Fixed  is  my  heart,  oh  God^  fixed  is  my  heart ;  I  will 
sing  and  play — also  my  glory.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  8  (7.) 
The  words  here  added,  also  my  glory,  correspond  to  the  first 
clause  of  the  next  verse  in  that  psalm,  awake  my  glory  ! 

3  (2.)  Awake  lute  and  harp  !  I  will  awaken  the  daicn  (or 
morning.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  9  (8.)  The  only  variation  is 
the  one  already  mentioned,  the  omission  here  of  the  words  awake 
my  glory,  for  which  the  last  clause  of  v.  2  (1)  is  a  substitute. 

4  (3.)  I  will  thank  thee  among  the  nations,  oh  Jehovah,  I  will 
•praise  thee  among  the  peoples.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  10  (9.) 
The  only  variation  is  the  substitution  of  the  name  Jehovah  for 
Adhonai,  a  change  scarcely  perceptible  in  the  English  versions. 

6  (4.)  For  great  from  ahove  the  heavens  (is)  thy  mercy.,  and 
u7ito  the  clouds  thy  truth.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  11  (10.)  The 
only  variation  is  the  change  of  (^15)  unto  into  (b:^'K^)  from  ahovr^ 
apparently  intended  to  suggest  the  idea  of  God's  mercy  as  de- 
scending upon  man. 

6  (5.)  Be  thou  high  above  the  heavens,  oh  God,  and  ahove  all 
the.  earth  thy  glory.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  12  (11.)  The  only 
variation  is  the  introduction  of  the  copulative  and  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  second  clause. 

7  (6.)  In  order  that  thy  beloved  {ones)  may  he  delivered,  save 
with  thy  right  hand,  and  hear  (or  answer)  us.     See  above,  on 


PSALM    C VIII.  91 

Ps.  Ix.  7  (d),  with  which  this  verse  agrees  in  all  points,  not  ex 
cepting  the  keri  or  various  reading  in  the  last  word  (me  for  us.) 

8  (7.)  God  kith  spoken  in  his  holiness  (and  therefore)  J  icill 
triumph,  I  will  divide  Shechcm,  and  the  valley  of  Succoth  1  will 
measure.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  8  (6),  with  which  this  verse 
agrees  exactly. 

9  (8.)  To  me  (belongs)  Gilead,  to  me  Manasseh,  and  Ephraim. 
the  strength  of  my  head,  Judah  my  lawgiver.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ix.  9  (7.)  The  only  variation  is  the  omission,  in  the  verse  before 
us,  of  the  and  after  Gilead. 

10  (9.)  Moah  (is)  my  wash-pot;  at  Edom  will  I  throw  my 
shoe  ;  over  Philistia  will  I  shout  aloud.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix. 
10  (8.)  At  the  end  of  this  verse  is  the  most  material  variation 
in  the  whole  psalm,  which,  however,  is  evidently  not  fortuitoiig 
or  by  a  later  hand,  but  intentional  and  made  by  the  original 
writer.  /  will  shout  aloud,  as  an  expression  of  triumph  over  a 
conquered  enemy. 

11  (10  )  Who  will  bring  me  {to)  the  fortified  city?  Vilio 
leads  (or  'has  led)  me  up  to  Edom  ?  See  above  on  Ps.  Ix.  11(9.) 
The  only  variation  is  the  change  of  one  synonymous  word  foi- 
another," to  express  the  idea  of  a  fortified  city. 

1.2  (11  )  (I<^  it)  ^ot  God,  who  hast  cast  us  off,  and  wilt  not  go 
forth  with  our  hosts  1  See  above  on  Ps.  Ix.  12  (10.)  The  only 
variation  consists  in  the  omission  of  the  emphatic  pronoun  ^A..., 
which  is  expressed  in  the  parallel  passage,  and  only  implied  m 
the  one  before  us.  Some  interpreters  suppose  a  sudden  change 
of  construction  from  the  third  to  the  second  person.  Is  U  not 
Ood—{eYen  thou  who)  didst  cast  us  off,  etc. 

13  (12.)  Give  us  help  from  the  enemy  (or  from  distress);  am 


92  PSALM    CIX. 

(the  rather  because)  vain  is  the  salvation  of  man^  meaning  that 
which  he  affords.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  13  (11)^  which  agrees 
with  this  exactly. 

14  (13.)  In  God  we  will  make  (i.  e.  gain  or  gather)  strength, 
and  he  will  tread  down  (or  tram-pie  on)  our  adversaries  (perse- 
cutors or  oppressors.)  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  14  (12),  between 
which  and  the  verse  before  us  there  is  not  the  slightest  differ- 
ence. 


PSALM     CIX. 

This  psalm  consists  of  three  parts  ;  a  complaint  of  slanderous 
and  malignant  enemies,  vs.  1 — 5  ;  a  prayer  for  the  punishment 
of  such,  vs.  6 — 20  ;  and  a  prayer  for  the  sufferer's  own  deliver- 
ance, with  a  promise  of  thanksgiving,  vs.  21 — 31.  According  to 
the  theory  repeatedly  referred  to,  this  is  the  second  psalm  of  a 
Bavidic  trilogy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cviii.  This  psalm  is  re- 
markable on  two  accounts ;  first,  as  containing  the  most  striking 
instances  of  what  are  called  the  imprecations  of  the  psalms  ;  and 
then,  as  having  been  applied  in  the  most  explicit  manner  to  the 
sufferings  of  our  Saviour  from  the  treachery  of  Judas,  and  to  the 
miserable  fate  of  the  latter.  These  two  peculiarities  are  perhaps 
more  closely  connected  than  they  may  at  first  sight  seem.  Per- 
haps the  best  solution  of  the  first  is  that  afforded  by  the  second, 
or  at  least  by  the  hypothesis,  that  the  Psalmist,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Spirit,  viewed  the  sufferings  of  Israel,  which  furnished 
the  occasion  of  the  psalm,  as  a  historical  type  of  the  Messiah's 
Bufferings   from    the  treacheiy  of  Judas,   representing^   that   of 


PSALM    CIX.  93 

Judah,  and  tliat  with  this  view  he  expresses  bis  abhorrence  of  the 
crime,  and  acquiesces  in  the  justice  of  its  punishment,  in  stronger 
terms  than  would  have  been,  or  are  elsewhere,  employed  in 
reference  to  ordinary  criminals. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  By  David.  A  Psalm.  God  of 
my  praiP^,  be  not  silent.  The  first  inscription  was  particularly 
necessary  here  because  the  psalm  might  otherwise  have  seemed  to 
be  a  mere  expression  of  strong  personal  feeling.  See  above,  on  Ps^ 
li.  1.  God  of  my  praise,  i.  e.  the  object  of  it,  whom  I 
delio-ht  or  am  accustomed,  or  have  cause,  to  praise.  Be  not 
silent  means  not  merely  do  not  refuse  to  answer,  but  amidst  the 
threats  and  railings  of  my  enemies,  let  thy  voice  be  heard  also,  bee 
above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  1.  xxxv.  22.  xxxix.  13.  (12.) 

2  For  a  wicked  mouth  and  a  mouth  of  deceit  they  have  opened ; 
thev  have  spoken  against  me  with  a  tongue  of  falsehood.  Com- 
pai-e  Ps.  xxxv.  11.  Iv.  4  (3.)  The  subject  of  the  first  verb  is  hi. 
enemies,  and  not  the  nouns  preceding,  as  the  verb  translated 
open  is  elsewhere  always  active.  Against  me,  literally,  ^nth  ..., 
illyin.  that  they  charged  him  falsely  to  his  face,  a  circumstance 
remarkrbly  fulfilled  in  Christ.     See  Matth.  xxvi.  59. 

3  And  with  words  of  hatred  they  have  compassed  me,  and  hm^e 
fought  against  me  without  cause.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  20. 
xxxvi.  4  (3.)     . 

4  In  return  for  my  love  they  are  my  adversaries--a,ul  J  (am) 
„aver  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  strictly  means  ^nstea  or  .,, 
S  The  unusual  expression  at  the  end  can  only  mean  1  am 
an  pfayer  I  do  nothing  hut  pray,  which  some  understand  to  s.g- 
1  Cr  their  persecution  meetly  and  continue  my  devotron:.. 
Ssturbed  by  their  calumnies  and  insults.  But  as  the  whol. 
::«  ext  is  desc'r iptive,  not  of  the  sufferer's  behav.our  but  of  h. 


if^  PSALM    CIX. 

enemies',  a  more  probable  sense  is,  I  am  forced  to  be  continuaTlj 
praying  for  protection  against  them  and  deliverance  from  them. 

5.  They  lay  upon  me  evil  instead  of  good  and  hatred  instead  nf 
love.  The  first  verb  literally  means  they  set  or  place.  Instead. 
of  the  good  and  the  love  which  they  owed  me,  or  m  return  for  my 
kindness  and  love  to  them,  as  in  v.  4. 

6.  Appoint  thou  over  him  a  wicked  om^  and  let  an  adversary 
stand  upon  his  right  hand.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  means  to 
place  one  in  authority  or  charge  over  another.  See  Gen.  xxxix. 
5.  xli.  34.  Num.  i.  50  and  compare  Lev.  xxvi.  16.  Jer.  xv.  3. 
Wicked  one  and  adversary  (Satan) ^  although  here  used  as  appel- 
latives or  common  nouns,  are  the  very  terms  applied,  in  the  later 
scriptures,  to  the  Evil* Spirit  or  the  Devil.  See  Job  i.  6.  ii.  1. 
1  Chr.  xxi.  1.  Zech.  iii.  1,2.  In  the  place  last  cited  he  stands 
too  at  the  right  hand  of  the  sinner  to  accuse  him.  The  change 
of  number  in  the  verse  before  us  might,  in  conformity  with  usage, 
be  explained  as  a  mere  difierence  of  form,  the  ideal  person  denoted 
by  the  singular  being  really  the  type  and  representative  of  the  whole 
class  denoted  by  the  plural.  But  the  constancy  with  which  the 
change,  in  this  case,  is  adhered  to,  rather  favours  the  conclusion, 
that  a  real  individual  is  meant,  to  whom  the  Psalmist  turns  from 
the  promiscuous  crowd  of  his  oppressors.  For  a  similar  transi- 
tion, see  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  13  (12.) 

7.  When  he  is  tried  he  shall  go  forth  guilty^  and  his  prayer 
shall  be  for  sin.  The  future  meaning  of  the  second  verb  is  deter- 
mined by  the  form  of  the  third,  which  is  not  apocopated,  as  in  vs. 
12,  13.  When  he  is  tried.,  literally,  in  his  being  tried.  The  neat 
phrase  simply  means  that  he  shall  be  condemned  ;  the  last  clause, 
that  his  very  prayer  for  mercy  shall  be  reckoned  as  a  new  ofi^euce, 
a  strong  description  of  extreme  judicial  rigour  and  inexorable 
'ustice. 


PSALM    C IX.  g5 

8.  Let  his  days  he  few— his  offiu  let  another  take  The  word 
translated  offi.ce  is  a  collateral  derivative  of  the  verb  at  the  be- 
ginning of  V.  6,  and  means  commission,  charge.  This  expression 
makes  it  still  more  probable  that  a  real  individual  is  referred  to, 
us  the  possession  of  a  charge  or  office  could  not  be  common  to  the 
whole  class  of  malignant  enemies.  The  Septuagint  version  m 
en tcrxoTi 7j//,  oversight  or  supervision,  corresponding  exactly  to  the 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  verb  in  v.  6.  This  translation  is  retained 
in  Acts  i.  20,  where  the  verse  before  us  is  expressly  quoted  by 
Peter,  as  "  written  in  the  book  of  Psalms,"  and  applied  to  the 
case  of  Judas  Iscariot. 

9.  Let  his  sons  he  orphans  atid  his  wife  a  icidow.  He  here 
passes  fiom  the  person  of  the  criminal  to  the  sufferings  of  those 
dependent  on  him.      See  Ex.  xx.  5. 

10.  And  wander — wander — let  his  sons  and  heg,and  seek  (their 
food)  from  (among)  their  ruins.  The  emphatic  repetition  of  the 
first  verb  is  expressed,  in  the  English  Bible,  by  a  paraphrase,  let 
his  children  he  continually  vagahonds.  The  last  clause  is  ex- 
tremely graphic,  representing  them  as  creeping  forth  in  search  of 
food  from  amidst  the  ruins  of  their  habitations. 

11.  Let  a  creditor  entrap  all  he  has,  and  strangers  plunder  (the 
fruit  of)  his  labour.  The  first  noun  originally  means  a  lender, 
but  in  usage  has  the  accessory  sense  of  a  hard  creditor,  an  extor- 
tioner. The  verb  means  to  lay  a  snare  for^  as  in  Ps.  xxxviii.  13 
(12.)  Strangers^  not  his  natural  heirs,  not  members  of  his 
family.     See  Deut.  xxv.  5. 

12.  Let  there  he  no  one  to  htm  extending  mercy ^  and  let  th^re  hf 
no  07ie  showing  favour  to  his  orphans.  The  verb  translated  eX' 
Sf.nd  literally  means  draw  out,  prolong,  and  is  applied  to  the  ?on- 
tmued  indulgence  both  of  hostile  and  amicable  feelings      S<.e 


96  PSALM    C IX. 

above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  3.  xxxvi.  11  (10.)  Ixxxv.  6  (5.)      Showing 
favour^  exercising  mercy,  as  in  Ps.  xxxvii.  .21. 

13.  Let  his  posterity  be  cut  off;  in  the  next  generation^  Mot  tea 
out  he  their  name.  The  word  for  posterity  strictly  means  futurity, 
after  part,  or  latter  end.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxvii.  37,  38.  Cut 
off^  literally,  for  cutting  off.  The  next  or  after  generation^  as  in 
Ps.  xlviii.  14  (13.)  The  plural  pronoun  their  refers  to  the  col- 
Icctive  noun  posterity. 

14.  Let  the  guilt  of  his  fathers  he  rememhered  by  Jehovah,  and  hit 
mother''s  sin  not  blotted  out.  This  is  perhaps  the  most  fearful  im- 
precation in  the  psalm,  as  it  extends  the  consequeaces  of  trans- 
gression, not  merel}^  to  the  children,  who  might  naturally  be  ex- 
pected to  partake  of  them,  but  to  the  parents.  It  is  not  to  be 
forgotten,  however,  that  in  all  such  cases,  the  personal  guilt  of 
the  implicated  parties  is  presupposed,  and  not  inferred  from  their 
connection  with  the  principals.  Remembered  by  (literally  to) 
Jehovah.,  which  may  possibly  mean  brought  to  his  remembi-auce, 
recalled  to  mind  by  another,  perhaps  by  the  accuser  before  men- 
tioned. 

15.  Let  tlteiii  be  before  Jehovah  always,  and  let  him  cut  off  from 
the  earth  their  memory.     The  subject  of   the  first  clause  is  the 
guilt  and  sin  mentioned  in  the  verse  precedinof.     Before  Jenoruk^ 
in  his  sight,  an  object  of  attention  to  him.    See  above,  Ps.  xo.  8 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  ix.  7  (ti.)  xxxiv.  17  (I'o.) 

16.  Because  that  he  did  not  remember  to  do  viercy,  and  perse- 
cuted an  afflicted  and  poor  man,  and  one  smitten  in  heart,  to  W 
(him.)  There  is  an  antithesis  between  the  remember  of  this  verse 
and  the  rememhered  of  v.  14.  Though  he  did  not  remember  mercy 
God  remembers  guilt.  The  last  phrase,  to  kill,  denotes  both 
the  design  and  the   extent  of  the  malignant  persecution,  whict 


PSALMCIX  97 

«ras  deadly  or  to  death.  The  object  of  the  persecution  is  tho 
psalmist  himself,  or  the  ideal  person  whom  he  represents.  See 
V.  22. 

17.  A7id  he  loved  a  curse^  and  it  has  come  (iifon)  him ;  and  ht 
ddighled  not  in  blessing^  and  it  has  removed  far  from.  him.  This 
verse  contemplates  the  event  as  actually  past.  The  optative 
meaning,  given  to  the  verbs  in  the  English  Bible,  is  as  incon- 
sistent with  the  form  of  the  orio-inal  as  the  future  meaning  o-iven 
in  the  Prayer  Book  and  the  ancient  versions. 

18.  And  he  has  piU  on  cursing  as  his  garment^  and  it  has  comt 
like  water  into  his  inside,  and  like  oil  into  his  hones.  There  is  an 
obvious  climax  in  this  verse.  That  which  is  first  described  as  the 
man's  exterior  covering,  is  then  said  to  be  within  him,  first  as 
water,  then  as  oil  or  fat,  first  in  the  vessels  of  his  body,  then  in 
his  very  bones.  The  general  idea  is  that  the  curse,  which  he  de- 
nounced and  endeavoured  to  inflict  on  others,  has  taken  possession 
of  himself,  both  within  and  without.  Compare  Num.  v.  22, 
24,  27.  The  first  clause  admits  of  a  different  construction, 
which  would  make  it  descriptive  of  the  crime  and  not  tho 
punishment.  He  put  on  cursing  as  his  garment,  and  (now)  it  hgia 
come,  etc.  This  construction  introduces  an  antithesis,  and  there 
by  adds  to  the  point  of  the  sentence,  and  is  also  recommended  by 
the  analogy  of  v.  17. 

19.  Let  it  be  to  him  as  a  garment  (that)  he  wears ^  and  for  a  bcu 
let  him  always  gird  it.  This  is  not  a  mere  reiteration  of  the 
figure  in  the  first  clause  of  v.  18,  but  conveys  the  additional  idea 
of  a  habitual  and  constant  presence.  The  word  belt  is  used  in  tho 
translation  of  the  last  clause,  because  the  Hebrew  word  to  which 
it  corresponds  is  not  the  usual  derivative  of  the  verb  that  follows, 
but  etymologically  unconnected  with  it. 

20.  (Be)  this  the  ivages  of  my  adversaries  from  Jehovah^  and 

VOL.  III. — 5 


98  PSALM    CIX. 

of  iliou  speaking  evil  against  my  soul.  The  pronoun  this  in  the  first 
clause  refers  to  the  whole  preceding  series  of  denunciations.  1  fie 
word  translated  wages  means  originally  work^  and  secondarily  the 
price  or  recompense  of  work  or  labour,  and  is  so  used  in  the  law 
of  Moses,  See  Lev.  xix.  -13.  It  is  here  peculiarly  appropriate 
because  it  represents  the  misfortunes  of  his  enemies  as  the  direct 
fruit  of  their  own  misconduct.  No  single  word  in  English  can 
express  this  double  meaning  of  the  Hebrew.  Such  is  their  work 
and  such  their  wages.  The  word  translated  adve'>-saHes  is  a  cog- 
nate form  to  that  used  in  v.  6,  and  might  suggest  the  idea  of  my 
Satans ;  but  this  would  probably  convey  too  much.  From  Je- 
hovah, their  reward  or  recompense  to  be  expected  from  him,  oi 
already  bestowed  by  him.  The  description  in  the  last  clause  in 
eludes  insult,  slander,  and  malicious  plotting. 

21.  And  thou.,  Jehovah.^  Lord,  do  icith  me  for  thy  nameh  sake , 
because  good  is  thy  mercy,  set  me  free.  The  emphatic  theu  at  the 
beginning  indicates  a  contrast  between  God  and  Lis  oppressors 
Do  with  me  is  a  common  English  phrase  meaning  deal  with  me., 
dispose  of  me  ;  but  no  such  idiom  exists  in  Hebrew,  and  the  best 
authorities  regard  the  construction  as  elliptical  and  make  it  mean, 
do  kindnes'i  (or  shew  mercy)  to  me.  With  the  last  clause  com- 
pare Ps.  Ixiii.  4  (3.)  Ixix.  17  (16.) 

22.  For  afflicted  and  poor  (am)  7,  and  my  heart  is  wounded 
within  me.  This,  though  indefinite  in  form,  is  equivalent  to  say- 
ing, I  am  the  afflicted  and  poor  man  whom  the  malignant  adver- 
sary persecuted,  as  was  said  in  v.  16.  The  word  translated 
wounded  strictly  means  pierced  or  perforated,  a  stronger  express 
sion  than  the  one  in  v.  16.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
xi.  18  (17.)  Ixix.  30  (29.) 

23.  Like  a  shadow  at  its  turning  I  am  gone  ;  I  am  driven 
away  like  tlie  locust.     The  first  comparison  is  the  same  with  that 


PSALM    CIX.  95 

ih  Ps.  cii.  12.  Our  idiom  enables  us  to  imitate  the  phrase  I  am 
gone,  a  passive  which  in  Hebrew  occurs  only  here.  The  other 
verb  is  rare,  but  its  meaning  is  sufficiently  determined  by  usao-e. 
Tho  allusion  here  is  to  the  violence  with  which  a  cloud  of  locusts 
in  the  east  is  scattered  by  the  wind.  Compare  Ex.  x.  19.  Joel 
ii.  20  Nah.  iii.  17. 

24.  Mz  knees  totter  from  fasting,  and  my  fiesh  fails  from  faU 
Tiess.  The  last  phrase  is  obscure  but  seems  to  mean  from  being 
fat,  so  that  it  is  not  fat ;  the  privative  usage  of  the  preposition 
being  very  common.  The  sense  thus  put  upon  the  verb  is  justi- 
fied by  the  analogy  of  Isai.  Iviii.  11,  where  an  equivalent  expres- 
sion is  applied  to  failing  waters.  Some  interpreters,  however, 
insist  upon  retaining  the  strict  sense  both  of  verb  and  noun,  and 
understand  the  clause  to  mean,  my  flesh  lies  or  deceives  the  eye, 
by  no  longer  appearing  as  it  once  did,  or  by  seeming  to  exist 
when  it  is  gone,  from  oil,  i.  e.  from  want  of  oil,  because  no  longer 
taken  care  of  and  anointed.  But  no  construction  could  well  be 
more  forced  and  far-fetched.  It  may  also  be  objected  that  the 
external  use  of  oil  was  to  anoint  the  head  on  festive  occasions, 
not  to  fatten  the  person  or  preserve  the  flesh. 

25.  And  I  have  been  a  reproach  to  them,  they  see  me,  they  shakt 
their  head.  A  reproach,  an  object  of  contempt,  as  in  Ps.  xxii. 
7(6.)  xxxi.  13  (11.)  As  to  the  meaning  of  the  gesture  men- 
tioned in  the  last  clause,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  8  (7.) 

26.  Help  me,  Jehovah,  my  God,  save  me,  according  to  thy  mercy. 
The  renewed  description  of  his  suff"erings,  in  vs.  22—25,  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  renewed  petition  for  deliverance,  corresponding  to  that 
in  V.  21.  Axording  to  thy  mercy,  i.  e.  in  proportion  to  its  great- 
ness and  the  freeness  with  which  it  is  exercised, 

27.  A7id  they  shall  know  t/mt  this  (is)  thy  hand  ;  thou,  Jehovah 


100  PSALM  crx. 

hast  done  it.  The  optative  construction,  let  them  kntiD^  and  the 
Bubjunctive  one,  that  they  ruay  knoto^  are  really  involved  in  the 
more  exact  translation,  they  shall  know.  The  subject  of  tde  verb 
may  be  men  in  general,  or  the  persecuting  adversaries  in  par- 
ticular, more  probably  the  latter,  because  they  are  referred  to, 
both  before  and  after.  This  is  thy  hand.,  i.  e.  this  deliverance  is 
the  product  of  thy  power.     Compare  Ps.  lix.  14  (13.) 

28  They  will  curse,  and  thou  wilt  bless  ;  they  have  risen  up,  and 
ihcvll  3e  shamed,  and  thy  servant  shall  be  glad.  The  first  clause, 
express^  in  our  idiom,  would  be,  they  may  curse  but  thou  wilt 
bless.  B-je,^  tip,  i.  e.  against  me,  a  favourite  expression  in  the 
Psalms.  lS/i.^h,ed,  in  the  pregnant  sense  of  being  disappointed, 
defeated,  confounv^eJ-  Thy  servant,  i.  e.  I  as  such,  in  that  ca- 
pacity or  character. 

29.  Clothed  shall -hjs,  ^\versaries  be  with  confusion,  and  dressed, 
as  a  robe,  in  their  shaue  This  is  not  the  mere  expression  of  a 
wish,  like  that  in  v.  18,  ^\i vh  would  here  be  out  of  place,  but  a 
confident  anticipation,  with  jvhich  he  concludes  the  psalm.  Com- 
pare Ps.  Ixxi.  13.  The  Wv  r d  translated  robe  denotes  a  garment 
reaching  to  the  feet,  and  represses  therefore  still  more  strongly 
the  idea  that  Lis  foes  shall  be  completely  covered  with  confusion 

30.  I  will  thank  .Tehovah  greatly  loith  my  mouth,  and  in  the 
midst  of  many  will  I  praise  him.  He  vows  that  his  thanksgiving 
Bhall  not  be  merely  mental  or  domestic,  but  audible  and  public. 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  xxii.  23  (22.) 

31.  For  he  unll  stand  at  the  right  hand  of  a  poor  {man),  to  sai.\. 
(him)  from  the  judges  of  his  soul.  This  assigns  the  special  rea- 
"^on  of  his  promised  praise.  The  verse  is  in  strong  contrast  to 
T  6  above,  especially  if  Satan  be  there  taken  as  a  proper  name 
The  right  hand  here  is  not  the  place  of  honour  but  of  protection 


PSALM    ex.  10^ 

A  'poor  man,  as  in*  v.  16,  means  this  poor  man,  I.  e.  me  a  poor 
man.  Compare  Ps.  xxxiv.  7  (6)  The  last  clause  is  correctly 
paraphrased  in  the  common  version,  those  that  condemn  his  soul. 


PSALM     ex. 

This  is  the  counterpart  of  the  Second  Psalm,  completing  the 
prophetic  picture  of  the  conquerinsr  Messiah,  The  progressive 
development  of  the  Messianic  doctrine  lies  in  this,  that  the  King- 
ship of  Messiah,  there  alleged  and  confirmed  by  a  divine  decree, 
is  here  assumed  at  the  beginning,  and  then  shown  to  be  connected 
with  his  Priesthood,  which  is  also  solemnly  proclaimed,  and  its 
perpetuity  ensured  by  a  divine  oath.  This  constitutes  the  centre 
of  the  psalm,  v.  4,  to  which  all  the  rest  is  either  introductory, 
vs.  1 — 3,  or  supplementary,  v.  5 — 7.  The  repeated,  explicit, 
and  emphatic  application  of  this  psalm,  in  the  New  Testament, 
to  Jesus  Christ,  is  so  far  from  beine  arbitrary  or  at  variance  with 
the  obvious  import  of  the  psalm  itself,  that  any  other  application 
is  ridiculous.  The  chief  peculiarity  of  form  is  a  frequent  change 
of  person,  not  unlike  that  in  Ps.  xci. 

1.  By  David.  A  Psalm.  Thus  saith  Jehovah  to  my  Lord, 
Sit  thou  at  my  right  hand,  until  I  make  thine  enemies  thy  foot- 
stool. The  ascription  of  the  psalm  to  David  is  not  only  uncon- 
tradirted  by  external  evidence,  but  corroborated  by  the  internal 
character  of  the  composition,  its  laconic  energy,  its  martial  tone, 
its  triumphant  confidence,  and  its  resemblance  to  other  undis- 
puted psalms  of  David.  In  addition  to  all  this,  we  have  the 
authority  of  Christ  himself,  who  not  only  speaks  of  it  as  David's, 
but  founds  an  argument  upon  it,  the  whole  force  of  which  depends 
upon  its  having  been   composed  by  him.     See  Matt.  xxii.  43 


102  PSALM    ex. 

Mark  xii.  oU.  Luke  xx.  42,  and  compare  Acts  ii.  34.  As  a  fur. 
ther  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  this  inscription,  some  allege  the 
obvious  relation  of  this  psalm  to  those  before  it,  as  forming  with 
them  a  Davidic  trilogy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cviii.  1.  Thus  saith 
Jehovah^  or  more  exactly,  a  dictum  (or  saying)  of  Jehovah.  For 
the  origin  and  usage  of  this  formula,  used  only  in  prophetic 
declaiations,  see  above  on  Ps.  xxxvi.  2  (1.)  My  Lord,  i.e. 
David's,  as  our  Saviour  explicitly  declares  in  the  passages  already 
cited,  yet  not  of  David  merely  as  a  private  person,  nor  even  as  an 
individual  king,  but  as  representing  his  own  royal  race  and  the 
house  of  Israel  over  which  it  reigned.  The  person  thus  de- 
scribed as  the  superior  and  sovereign  of  David  and  his  house  and 
of  all  Israel,  could  not  possibly  be  David  himself,  nor  any  of  his 
sons  and  successors  except  one,  who,  by  virtue  of  his  twofold 
nature,  was  at  once  his  sovereign  and  his  son.  See  Rom.  i.  3,  4. 
That  the  Lord  here  meant  was  universally  identified  with  the 
Messiah  by  the  ancient  Jews,  is  clear,  not  only  from  their  own 
traditions,  but  from  Christ's  assuming  this  interpretation  as  the 
basis  of  his  argument  to  prove  the  Messiah's  superhuman  na- 
ture, and  from  the  fact  that  his  opponents,  far  from  questioning  this 
fact,  were  unable  to  answer  him  a  word,  and  afraid  to  interrogate 
him  further  (Matt.  xxii.  46.)  The  original  form  of  expression, 
in  the  phrase  Sit  at  my  right  hand,  is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  cix.  31. 
A  seat  at  the  right  hand  of  a  king  is  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures 
as  a  place  of  honour,  not  arbitrarily,  but  as  implying  a  participa- 
tion in  his  power,  of  which  the  right  baud  is  a  constant  symbol. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xlv.  10  (9),  and  compare  Matt.  xix.  2S.  The 
sitting  posture  is  appropriate  to  kings  who  are  frequently  described 
as  sitting  on  their  thrones.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxix.  10.  In  this 
case,  however,  the  posture  is  of  less  moment  than  the  position. 
Hence  Stephen  sees  Christ  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  Grod 
(Acts  vii.  55,  56),  and  Paul  simply  says  he  is  there  (Rom.  viii. 
34.)  The  participation  in  the  divine  power,  thus  ascribed  to  the 
Messiah,  is  a  special  and  extraordinary  one,  having  reference  tp 


PSALM  ex.  loa 

the  total  subjugation  of  his  enemies.  This  idea  is  expressed  bj 
the  figure  of  their  being  made  his  footstool,  perhaps  with  allusioc 
to  the  ancient  practice  spoken  of  in  Josh.  x.  24.  This  figure 
itself,  however,  presupposes  the  act  of  sitting  on  a  throne,  li 
does  not  imply  inactivity,  as  some  suppose,  or  mean  that  Jehovah 
would  conquer  his  foes  for  him,  without  any  intervention  of  his 
own.  The  idea  running  through  the  whole  psalm  is,  that  it  is  in 
and  through  him  that  Jehovah  acts  for  the  destruction  of  his 
enemies,  and  that  for  this  very  end  he  is  invested  with  almighty 
power,  as  denoted  by  his  session  at  the  right  hand  of  God.  This 
session  is  to  last  until  the  total  subjugation  of  his  enemies,  that  is  to 
say,  this  special  and  extraordinary  power  of  the  Messiah  is  then 
to  terminate,  a  representation  which  agrees  exactly  with  that  of 
Paul  in  1  Cor.  xv.  24 — 28,  where  the  verse  before  us  is  dis- 
tinctly referred  to,  although  not  expressly  quoted.  It  is  there- 
fore needless,  though  grammatical,  to  give  the  until  an  in 
elusive  meaning,  namely,  until  then  and  afterwards,  as  in  Ps. 
cxii.  8  below.  This  verse,  it  has  been  said,  is  more  frequently 
quoted  or  referred  to,  in  the  New  Testament,  than  any  other  in 
the  Hebrew  Bible.  Besides  the  passages  already  cited,  it  lies  at 
the  foundation  of  all  those  which  represent  Chi-ist  as  sitting 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father.  See  Matt.  xxvi.  64.  1  Cor. 
XV.  25.  Eph.  i.  20—22.  Phil.  ii.  9—11.  Heb.  i.  3,  14.  viii.  1. 
X.  12,  13.  1  Pet.  iii.  22,  and  compare  Rev.  iii.  21. 

2.  The  rod  of  thy  strength  will  Jehovah  send  forth  from  Zion  , 
rule  thou  in  the  midst  of  thine  enemies.  The  Psalmist  now  ad- 
dresses the  Messiah  directly.  The  idea  latent  in  the  figures  of 
the  first  verse,  namely  that  of  power,  is  here  expressed.  The 
word  (nt2^)  translated  rod  never  means  a  sceptre,  as  the  synony- 
mous term  {"O^ITD)  sometimes  does,  from  which  it  is  distinguished 
by  Ezekiel  (xix.  11),  but  a  rod  of  correction  and  of  chastisement, 
See  Jer.  xlviii.  12,  and  compare  Isai.  ix.  3  (4.)  x.  5,  15,  xiv.  4, 
5   Ez.  vii.  10,  11.     It    is   here    named    as   the   instrument  with 


104  PSALM    ex. 

which  the  foes  are  to  be  subdued.  Compare  Ps.  ii.  9.  There 
may  be  an  allusion  to  the  rod  of  Moses.  See  Ex.  xiv.  16,  21, 
and  compare  Isai.  x.  24,  26.  The  rod  of  thy  strength^  or  thy 
rod  of  strength,  thy  strong  rod,  or  rather  the  rod  by  means  of 
which  thine  own  strength  is  to  be  exerted.  As  this  strength  is 
not  human  but  divine,  it  is  said  to  be  sent  forth  by  Jehovah  out 
of  Zion,  considered  as  his  earthly  residence,  the  seat  of  the  theo- 
cracy. See  above,  on  Ps.  xx,  3  (2.)  The  verb  translated  ruk 
is  not  applied  in  usage  to  a  peaceful  reign,  but  to  coercive  or 
compulsory  doniinion  over  conquered  enemies.  See  above,  .on 
Ps.  xlix,  15  (14),  and  compare  Num.  xxiv.  19.  The  imperative 
here  involves  prediction  in  its  strongest  form.  As  if  he  had  said  : 
All  is  ready  for  the  conquest ;  there  is  no  resistance ;  there  can 
be  no  doubt  of  the  result ;  rule,  therefore,  in  the  midst  thine  ene- 
mies, i.  e.  over  the  very  enemies  by  whom  thou  art  surrounded, 
and  who  threatened  to  dethrone  thee. 

3.  Thy  people  (are)  free-will- offerings  in  the  day  of  thy  power , 
in  holy  decorations^  from  the  womb  of  the  dawn,  to  thee  {is)  the  dew 
of  thy  yoii/h.  Every  member  of  this  very  obscure  verse  has  been 
a  subject  of  dispute  and  of  conflicting  explanations.  The  com- 
mon version  of  the  first  words  (thy  people  shall  he  willing)  is  en- 
tirely inadmissible  as  an  exact  translation,  since  the  word  trans- 
lated willing  is  a  plural  substantive  of  the  feminine  gender,  an(? 
not  an  adjective  agreeing  with  the  masculine  singular  noun  people. 
The  idea,  however,  is  the  same,  but  expressed  with  far  more 
strength  and  beauty.  The  plural  noun  just  mentioned  is  the  one 
used  to  denote  spontaneous  gifts,  or  freewill-offej  ings,  under  the 
law  ^f  Moses.  See  above,  on  Ps.  liv.  8  (7),  and  compare  Ex 
X'-iv.  2.  XXXV.  29.  xxxvi.  3.  Lev.  xxii.  23.  By  supplying  th(i 
correlative  verb,  which  may  be  considered  as  latent  in  the  noun, 
jwe  obtain  the  sense,  thy  people  (offer)  voluntary  gifts.  But  by 
supplying  the  substantive  verb,  which  is  far  more  natural  and 
<Jommon,  we  obtain  the  still  more  striking  sense,  thy  people  aro 


PSALM    ex.  lOf 

them^slTcs  such  gifts,  i.  e.  they  freely  consecrate  themselves  ia 
God.  In  this  sense  of  voluntary  self-dedication  the  reflexive  form 
of  the  verbal  root  is  used  even  in  histoi-ical  prose  (1  Chr.  xxix.  14, 
17),  especially  in  reference  to  military  service  (Judg.  v.  2,  9. 
2  Chr,  xvii.  16.)  The  day  of  thy  poiver^  the  day  in  which  it  is  ex- 
erted and  displayed  in  the  subjugation  of  thine  enemies.  The 
next  phrase  literally  means,  in  beauties  (or  ornaments)  of  holin/iss, 
which  may  either  have  its  obvious  spiritual  sense,  as  in  Ps.  xxix 
2,  or  that  oi  holy  decorations,  with  allusion  to  the  sacerdotal  dress, 
which  is  expressly  called  garments  of  holiness,  Lev.  xvi.  4.  The 
last  is  the  sense  put  by  the  modern  interpreters  upon  the  phrase, 
which  then  means  that  the  people,  when  they  make  this  solemn 
oficring  of  themselves  to  God,  appear  clothed  in  sacerdotal  vest- 
ments, as  the  servants  of  a  priestly  king  (v.  4  below),  and  them- 
selves a  "kingdom  of  priests"  (Ex.  xix.  6.)  The  ivoml  of  the 
dawn  (or  day-break)  is  a  very  strong  poetical  description  of  the 
origin  or  source  of  the  deio  which  immediately  follows,  and  the 
sense  of  which  must  determine  that  of  the  whole  clause.  The 
most  probable  opinions  as  to  this  point  are  the  following.  Some 
suppose  the  clause  to  be  descriptive  of  the  multitude  of  warriors 
who  devote  themselves  to  the  Messiah,  and  who  are  then  described 
as  no  less  numerous  than  the  drops  of  dew  born  from  the  womb 
of  morning.  The  objection  to  this  is,  that  it  lays  too  much  stress 
upon  mere  numbers,  and  expresses  that  idea  by  a  figure  neither 
common  nor  altogether  natural.  Another  explanation  makes  the 
point  of  the  comparison  with  dew,  not  numbers,  but  beauty,  bril- 
liancy thus  corresponding  to  the  holy  decorations  of  the  other  clause. 
Here  again  the  comparison  selected  is  by  no  means  obvious,  much 
less  familiar.  Lovely  or  beautiful  as  dew  is  not  a  combination 
likoly  to  occur  to  the  mind  of  any  writer.  In  the  two  interpreta- 
tions which  have  now  been  given,  youth  must  be  taken  in  the 
sense  of  young  men,  like  the  Latin  ])ubcs  and  juventus,  when  ap- 
ed to  a  youthfid  soldieiy,  or  made  to  qualify  the  noun  belora 
outhful  dew,  still  meaning  the  young  warriors.  But  of  sucb 
5* 


,06  PSALM    ex. 

a  figure  there  is  not  a  trace  in  Hebrew  usage,  and  in  the  onl^ 
other  place  where  the  word  (rm'b'^)  occurs,  it  evidently  means 
youth^  as  a  period  of  human  life  (Ecc.  xi.  9,  10.)  Free  from  all 
these  objections  is  the  supposition,  that  the  clause  relates  not  to 
the  numbers  or  the  beauty  of  Messiah's  people,  but  to  their  per- 
petual succession,  expressed  by  a  fine  poetical  comparison  with 
dew,  engendered  afresh  daily  from  the  womb  of  the  morning. 
Youth  will  then  have  its  proper  sense,  as  denoting  the  perpetual 
youth  of  the  Messiah,  whose  body  is  thus  constantly  renewed  by 
the  successive  generations  of  his  people.  This  construction  also 
enables  us  to  divide  the  clause  more  equally  than  in  the  masoretic 
interpunction,  which,  at  all  events,  is  either  incorrect  or  rather 
musical  than  logical. 

4.  Sworn  hath  Jehovah^  and  will  not  repent ^  Thou  (shalt  be)  a 
priest  forever^  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek.  The  declaration 
in  the  last  clause  of  v.  3  is  here  repeated  in  another  form,  and 
with  a  statement  of  the  ground  or  reason  upon  which  it  rests. 
What  was  there  poetically  represented  as  the  perpetual  youth  of 
the  Messiah  is  here  more  solemnly  described  as  a  perpetual  priest- 
hood, indjssolubly  blended  with  a  perpetual  kingship,  both  secured 
by  the  oath  of  God  himself.  He  ivill  not  repent,  there  is  no  fear 
or  even  possibility  of  his  breaking  or  retracting  this  engagement, 
for  such  it  is,  and  not  a  mere  declaratory  attestation  of  the  pre- 
sent fact  or  general  truth,  as  it  might  seem  to  be  from  the  com- 
mon version,  not  only  here  but  in  Heb.  v.  6.  vii.  17,  21,  in  every 
ore  of  which  places  the  Greek  conforms  exactly  to  the  Septuagint 
version  and  the  Hebrew  text,  the  art  being  constantly  supplied  by 
the  translators.  That  the  clause  is  a  promise,  and  as  such  relates 
directly  to  the  future,  is  clear  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  psalm  as  a 
prophetic  one,  as  well  as  from  the  oath,  which  is  not  used  in  Scrip- 
ture to  attest  mere  matters  of  fact,  but  to  confirm  the  divine  promise 
and  threatenings.  The  indefinite  expression,  a  priest,  is  intended 
to  describe  the  ofiico  in  itself  considered,  without  reference   to 


PSALM    CX, 


107 


temporary  distinctions  and  gradations.  It  therefore  comprehends 
whatever  appertained  to  the  office  of  the  High  Priest,  as  the  head 
and  representative  of  all  the  rest.  After  the  order ^  i.  e.  accord- 
ing to  the  manner,  character,  or  institution.  It  is  remarkable 
that  this  phrase  (like  nmb;^  in  v.  3)  is  almost  peculiar  to  this 
psalm  and  the  book  of  Ecclesiastes,  being  found  besides  in  only 
one  place  (Job  v.  8.)  In  all  the  direct  quotations  of  the  verse 
in  Hebrews,  the  Septuagint  version  of  this  word  {i6l%iv^  is  re- 
tained. But  in  one  of  the  more  indirect  citations  (Heb.  vii.  15) 
another  word  (o(/o<6rT]ra)  is  substituted,  showing  that  the  essen- 
tial idea  is  that  of  likeness  or  resemblance.  This  likeness  con- 
sists primarily  in  the  union  of  the  regal  and  sacerdotal  offices. 
See  Gen.  xiv.  18.  The  meaning  of  the  verse  in  its  original  con- 
nection is,  that  this  royal  conqueror  is  also  a  priest,  who  makes 
atonement  for  the  sins  of  his  people,  and  thus  enables  and  dis- 
poses them  to  make  the  dedication  of  themselves  described  in  the. 
preceding  verse.  The  perpetuity  of  this  relation,  and  its  confir- 
mation by  the  oath  of  God,  are  attendant  circumstances  but 
essential,  and  as  such  insisted  on  by  the  apostle,  Heb.  vii.  20 — 24. 
The  coincidences  founded  on  the  meaning  of  the  names  Melchize- 
dek  and  Salem  (Heb.  vii.  2),  and  on  the  want  of  hierarchical 
succession  in  both  cases  (Heb.  vii.  3), -are  perfectly  legitimate  but 
kot  essential  to  the  understanding  of  the  verse  in  its  original  con- 
nection. The  inspired  commentary  on  this  sentence,  which  occu- 
pies the  whole  seventh  chapter  of  Hebrews,  is  not  intended  merely 
to  explain  its  meaning,  but  also  to  make  use  of  its  terms,  and  the 
associations  coupled  with  them,  as  a  vehicle  of  other  kindred 
truths,  belonging  to  the  Christian  revelation,  and  not  necessarily 
suggested  by  the  Psalm  to  its  original  readers. 

5.  Tht  Lord  on  thy  right  hand  has  smitten^  in  the  day  of  hii 
anger ^  kings.  Some  suppose  this  to  be  addressed  to  Jehovah,  and 
the  Lord  to  mean  Messiah,  on  the  ground  that  they  could  not  each 
be  on  the  right  hand  of  the  other.      See  above,  v.  1.     That  they 


:08  PSALM    ex. 

could  be  so,  however,  only  shows  that  the  whole  description  is  n 
figurative  one,  and  that  the  principal  figure  has  a  two-fold  moan- 
ing. O71  the  7  ight  hand  has  precisely  the  same  meaning  here  as 
in  Ps.  cix.  31,  where  it  denotes  the  place  of  protection  01  assist- 
ance, the  figure  being  probably  derived  from  the  usages  of  war, 
in  which  one  who  succours  or  protects  another  may  be  said  to 
strenfifthen  his  ri^ht  hand,  as  the  member  which  he  uses  in  his 
own  defence.  In  one  sense,  therefore,  the  Lord  is  at  the  right 
hand  of  Jehovah  ;  in  another  sense,  Jehovah  is  at  his.  This 
assistance,  far  from  excluding,  presupposes  his  own  action, or  ra- 
ther, what  Jehovah  is  described  as  doing  for  him  he  does  through 
him.  See  above,  on  v.  1.  The  word  translated  sm  te  is  very 
strong  and  has  repeatedly  occurred  before.  See  above,  on  Ps 
xviii.  39  (38.)  Ixviii.  22,  24  (21,  23.)  The  day  of  Jehovah's 
wrath  is  coincident  with  that  of  the  Lord's  strength  in  v.  3.  The 
strength  of  the  Messiah,  as  a  conqueror,  is  to  be  exerted  in  giving 
effect  to  Jehovah's  wrath  against  his  enemies.  The  position  of  the 
word  kings  at  the  end  of  the  sentence,  although  harsh  and  almost 
ungrammatical  in  English,  is  retained  in  the  translation  for  the 
sake  of  its  effect  upon  the  emphasis  and  point  of  the  description. 
The  objects  of  Jehovah's  wrath  and  the  Messiah's  strokes  are  not 
to  be  mere  ordinary  men,  but  kings,  if  they  continue  to  oppose 
themselves.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  2,  10.  The  tense  of  the  verb 
may  be  regarded  as  an  instance  of  praeteriium  'propheticum^  de- 
scribing what  is  certainly  to  happen  as  already  past. 

6.  He  will  judge  among  the  nations — he  has  Jilkd  {them)  with 
'co7-jpses — he  has  smitten  the  head  over  much  land  (or  over  the  wide 
Earth.)  By  another  sudden  change  of  form,  the  Messiah  is  again 
spoken  of  as  a  third  person.  The  judgment  here  ascribed  to  him 
h  only  another  name  and  figure  for  the  conquest  just  described. 
The  form  of  expression  in  the  last  clause  is  unusual  and  obscure. 
The  common  veision  makes  both  head  and  land  collectives,  tl< 
heads  over  many  countries.     Some  interpreters  explain  the  second 


I  SALM    ex.  iQg 

STorJ  in  this  way,  but  the  first  more  stiictly,  as  denoting  a  single 
ruler  over  many  countries.  Others  invert  the  terms  and  under, 
•stand  by  head  the  various  chiefs  of  nations,  but  by  tarth  the 
vN^hole  earth  with  its  qualifying  epithet  of  great  or  wide.  Amidst 
r-hose  questions  of  construction  or  minute  interpretation,  the 
general  idea  is  clear  enough,  to  wit,  that  of  universal  conquest  on 
the  part  of  the  Messiah,  and  extending  to  all  earthly  principalities 
and  powers. 

7.  From  the  Irooh  in  the  ivay  he  will  drink^  therefore  will  he 
f-aise  the  head.  According  to  the  masoretic  interpunction,  in  the 
way  does  not  qualify  the  brook  but  he  will  drink ^  a  distinction  of 
little  exegetical  importance.  Unlike  the  foregoing  verse,  the  one 
before  us  is  perfectly  clear  in  its  particular  expressions,  but  ob- 
Fcure  in  its  general  import  and  relation  to  the  context.  The 
most  probable  meaning  of  the  first  clause  is,  that  he  shall  not  be 
Bshausted  like  those  wandering  in  the  desert  (Ps.  cii.  24.  cvii. 
4,  5)  but  refi-eshed  and  strengthened,  with  a  reference,  as  some 
suppose,  to  the  relief  experienced  by  Samson  (Judg.  xv.  18,  19.) 
The  raising  of  the  head,  in  the  last  clause,  is  an  obvious  and  in- 
telligible figure  for  exhilaration,  or  relief  from  dejection  and  de- 
pression, which  is  naturally  indicated  by  the  hanging  of  the  head. 
The  only  question  is  whether  this  effect  is  here  supposed  to  be 
produced  in  the  conqueror  himself  or  in  others.  In  favour  of 
the  foi-mer  explanation  is  the  parallel  clause,  which  represents 
him  as  assuaging  his  own  thirst.  In  favour  of  the  other  is  the 
analogy  of  Ps.  iii.  4  (3)  xxvii.  6,  where  Grod  is  said  to  raise  the 
head  of  man.  As  in  other  doubtful  cases,  where  the  senses  are 
not  incompatible  or  exclusive  of  each  other,  it  is  safe,  if  not  en- 
tirely satisfactory,  to  leave  them  side  by  side,  the  rather  as  the 
words  could  probably  not  fail  to  suggest  both  ideas  ic  the  Hebrew 
reader. 


110  PSALM    CXI 


PSALM    CXI 


This  is  an  alphabetical  psalm,  in  which  the  Hebrew  letters 
mark  the  beginning  not  of  verses  but  of  clauses.  The  first  eight 
♦  erses  contain  each  two  clauses  ;  the  last  two  consist  of  three. 
The  psalm  begins  with  an  invitation  to  the  public  praise  of  God, 
V.  1,  then  assigns,  as  the  ground  and  object  of  this  praiso,  his 
dealings  with  his  people,  vs.  2 — 9,  and  ends  with  the  conclusion, 
that  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom,  v.  10. 
There  is  nothing  in  the  psalm  itself  to  determine  its  date  or  its 
historical  occasion.  According  to  Hengstenberg,  it  is  the  first 
psalm  of  a  trilogy,  added  to  the  ancient  one  preceding  (Ps. 
cviii — ex.)  after  the  return  from  exile, 

1.  Hallelujah  !  I  will  thank  Jehovah  with  a  whole  hearty  in  the 
company  of  the  upright  and  in  the  congregation.  The  Hallelujah 
{praise  ye  Jah)  marks  the  designation  of  the  latter  psalms  for 
permanent  use  in  public  worship,  as  the  inscription  to  the  chief 
musician  does  that  of  the  older  ones.  With  a  whole  heart,  or  with 
all  {my)  heart,  as  it  is  fully  expressed  in  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  12.  Compare 
Ps.  cxix.  2.  The  word  translated  company  means  properly  a 
circle  of  confidential  friends.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv.  14.  Iv. 
15  (14.)  Ixiv.  .3  (2.)  Ixxxiii.  4  (3.)  It  is  here  applied  to  the 
church  or  chosen  people,  as  constituting  such  a  company  or  circle, 
in  opposition  to  the  world  without.  It  is  not  therefore  really 
distinct  from  the  congregation  mentioned  in  the  last  clause,  but 
another  name  for  it.  The  upright  (or  straightforward)  is  a  title 
given  to  the  true  Israel,  from  the  days  of  Balaam  downwards. 
Sec  Num.  xxiv    10. 

2    Gfeatareth>,  works  of  Jehovah^  sought  {according)    to  all 


PSALM  CXI.  m 

their  desires.  The  common  version  of  the  last  phrase,  all  them 
that  have  jphasure  therein.,  supposes  the  text  to  be  differently 
pointed,  as  in  Ps.  xl.  15  (14,)  Ixx.  3  (2.)  The  received  text  can 
only  mean  to  (for  or  according  to)  all  their  urishes.  The  ante- 
cedent of  the  pronoun  {their)  seems  to  be  the  upright  in  v.  1.  For 
a  similar  construction  of  the  same  pronoun,  see  below,  o«  v.  10 
The  clause,  thus  construed,  is  obscure,  but  may  be  understood 
to  mean,  that  when  the  works  of  God  are  sought  out.,  investigated, 
or  explored,  their  greatness  fully  satisfies  the  hopes  and  wishes 
of  his  people.  Another  possible  sense  is,  that  they  are  sought 
for.,  i.  e.  the  experience  or  knowledge  of  them  eagerly  desired, 
with  (literally  as  to)  all  their  wishes.,  i.  e.  with  avidity,  or,  as  it  i-s 
expressed  in  the  preceding  verse,  with  all  the  heart. 

3.  Honour  and  majesty  (is)  his  work — and  his  righteousness 
standing  forever.  In  the  first  clause,  work  is  the  subject  of  the 
proposition,  honour  and  majesty  the  predicate.  His  work  is 
honour  and  majesty.^  i.  e.  all  that  he  does  is  noble  and  majestic, 
worthy  of  the  great  King,  to  whom  these  epithets  are  often  ap- 
plied elsewhere.  See  above,  on  Ps,  civ.  1.  His  work  means 
specifically  here  what  he  does  for  the  protection  and  deliverance 
of  his  people.  In  the  last  clause,  as  in  many  other  places,  this 
work  is  referred  to  his  righteousness.,  not  his  justice.,  in  the 
technical  and  strict  sense,  but  his  rectitude.,  including  his  fidelity 
to  his  eno;a<rements,  and  securinor  the  exercise  of  his  covenanted 
mercy.  This  seems  more  natural  than  to  explain  it  as  meaning 
the  practical  justification  of  his  people  by  his  providential  care  of 
them.  Standing  to  eternity  (or  perpetuity)^  not  fitful  or  ca- 
pricious, not  confined  or  temporary,  but  perpetual  and  constant. 

4.  A  memory  hut  he  made  for  his  wonderful  works ;  gracious 
and  compassionate  {is)  Jehovah.  The  first  clause,  though  no* 
exactly  rendered,  is  correctly  paraphrased  in  the  English  Bible, 
he  hath  made  his  wonderful  works  to   he  rememhered^  and  still 


112  PSALM    CXI. 

more  freely  in  the  Prayer  Book  version.  The  last  clauSv^  t:Kows 
that  the  wonderful  works  of  the  first  are  not  the  wonders  cf  crea- 
tion, nor  those  of  j)rovidence  in  general,  but  those  wrought  fos 
the  benefit  of  Israel.  The  terms  of  this  clause  are  borrcwec^ 
from  Ex.  xxxiv.  6.     See  above,  on  Ps.  ciii.  8. 

5.  Prey  hath  he  given  to  those  fearing  him  ;  he  ivill  remember  It 
eternity  his  covenant.  The  first  word  properly  denotes  the  foo(J 
of  wild  beasts,  and  may  here  be  either  a  poetical  equivalent  tc 
food,  provision,  as  in  Prov.  xxxi.  15.  Mai.  iii.  10,  or  intended  tc 
suggest  the  additional  idea  of  food  obtained  at  the  expense  of 
enemies.  In  either  case  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  for  restrict- 
ing the  clause  to  the  supply  of  Israel  in  the  desert,  although  that 
would  necessarily  occur  to  every  reader,  as  the  great  historical 
example  of  the  general  fact  alleged,  and  in  the  last  clause  repre- 
sented as  a  proof  of  God's  fidelity  to  covenant  engagements. 

6.  The  poiver  of  his  ivorks  he  has' declared  to  his  people,  (so  as) 
to  give  to  them  a  heritage  of  nations.  He  has  shown  them  what 
powerful  things  he  can  do,  by  favouring  them  so  far  as  to  drive 
out  nations  from  their  seats,  and  make  his  people  their  successors 
and,  as  it  were,  their  heirs.  This  refers  to  the  conquest  ot 
Canaan,  as  the  first  in  a  long  series  of  such  dispossessions,  includ- 
ing all  the  territories  gained  in  war  from  the  surrounding  nations, 
till  the  death  of  David.  The  construction  of  to  give  as  a  gerund 
(by  giving)  is  not  a  Hebrew  idiom,  and  restricts  the  meaning  of 
the  clause  unduly.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  18. 

7.  The  icoriis  of  his  hands  are  truth  and  judgment ;  sure  (are) 
all  his  precepts.  The  second  clause  is  not  an  iteration  of  the  first, 
but  an  inference  from  it.  If  what  God  does  himself  is  always 
done  in  faithfulness  and  justice  to  his  people,  then  what  he  re- 
quires them    to   do  must   certainly  be  right  and  best,   and   hia 


PSALM  CXI.  m 

requisitions   therofore  may  be  trusted  and  confided  in,  the  true 
sense  of  the  adjective  or  participle  here  employed. 

S.  Settled  for  ever  and  erer,  done  in  truth  and  right.  The 
suhjects  are  the  same  as  in  v.  7,  but  presented  in  an  iaverso 
Older,  the  first  clause  relating  to  the  ^receipts,  the  last  to  the 
vwrks,  of  God.  The  former  are  settled,  firmly  supported,  founds 
ed,  or  established,  not  capricious  and  precarious.  The  latter,  by 
which  they  are  recommended  and  attested  (see  above,  on  v.  9), 
are  works  of  faithfulness  and  rectitude.  The  last  word  in  He- 
brew is  an  adjective  used  as  a  neuter  or  abstract  noun,  in  which 
respect  the  English  right  resembles  it. 

9.  Redeni'ption  he  has  sent  to  his  people  ;  he  has  ordained  to  eternity 
his  covenant ;  holy  and  fearful  is  his  name.  That  this  verse  was 
intended  to  consist  of  three  clauses,  is  clear  from  the  fact  that  it 
contains  three  letters  of  the  alphabet  in  regular  succession. 
The  same  thing  is  true  of  the  remaining  verse.  The  first  clause 
relates  mainly,  not  exclusively,  to  the  deliverance  from  Egypt. 
As  in  V.  5,  the  second  clause  affirms  a  general  truth,  attested  and 
exemplified  by  the  particular  fact  mentioned  in  the  first.  Fear- 
ful, not  merely  to  his  foes  but  to  his  people,  who  can  never  cease 
to  worship  him  with  holy  awe. 

10.  The  beginning  of  wisdom  is  the  fear  of  Jehovah;- a  gooa 
understanding  (is)  to  all  {those)  doing  them  ;  his  praise  endureih 
forever.  This  is  the  conclusion  drawn  from  all  that  goes  before. 
Since  all  God's  dealings  with  his  people  are  in  faithfulness  and 
truth,  and  his  commands  not  only  are  but  must  be  right,  then  the 
firs:  step  in  wisdom,  its  first  principle  or  element,  is  reverence  for 
«uch  a  Beino-,  proved  by  obedience  to  his  will.  The  same  senti- 
ment occurs^n  Prov.  i.  7.  ix.  10.  Job.  xxviii.  28.  The  intimate 
connection  of  the  verse,  notwithstanding  its  proverbial  or  aphor- 
istic form,  with  the  foregoing  context,  is  apparent  from  the  refer- 


114  PSALM    CXII. 

cnce  of  the  pronoun  thtm  to  the  plural  nouns  of  the  preceding 
verses.  End^ireth  j'orevei ,  literally,  (is)  standing  to  eternity. 
This  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  he  will  and  must  be  praised  for- 
ever, corresponding  to  the  Hallelujah^  at  the  beginning  of  the 
psalm. 


PSALM     CXII. 

Another  alphabetical  psalm  of  precisely  the  same  character, 
coinciding  with  the-  one  before  it,  even  in  the  number  of  verses, 
and  the  number  of  clauses  in  each  verse.  This  formal  agreement 
shows  the  intimate  connection  of  the  two  compositions,  and  makes 
it  highly  probable  that  they  belong  not  only  to  the  same  age  but 
to  the  same  author,  and  were  meant  to  form  parts  of  one  con- 
tinued series  or  system.  This  psalm  begins  precisely  where  the 
one  before  it  ends,  i.  e.  with  the  happiness  arising  from  the  fear 
of  God,  V.  1,  the  blessed  effects  of  which  are  then  recounted 
under  several  particulars,  vs.  2 — 9,  and  finally  contrasted  with 
the  fate  of  the  ungodly,  v.  10. 

1 .  Happy  the  man  fearing  Jehovah^  in  his  commandmentz  de^ 
lighting  greatly.  There  is  here  not  only  an  obvious  connection 
-with  the  close  of  the  preceding  psalm,  but  an  obvious  advance 
upon  it  or  progression  of  ideas.  As  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  there 
declared  to  be  the  piinciple  of  all  true  wisdom,  so  here  it  is  de- 
clared to  be  the  source  of  all  true  happiness.  The  second  clause 
defines  the  meaning  of  the  first  by  showing,  that  the  fea^-  there 
mentioned  is  a  fear  consistent  with,  or  rather  necessarily  mvolv 
lag,  a  complacent  acquiescence  in  Grod's  will,  thus  entirelj  axclud 


PSALM    CXIl.  115 

ing  a  mere  slavish  dread,  which  is  incompatible   with  such  a 
disposition. 

2.  Mighty  in  the  earth  shall  he  his  seed  ;  the  race  of  the  upright 
shall  be  blessed.  The  first  phrase  is  borrowed  from  Gen.  x.  8, 
and  would  at  once  suggest  to  every  Hebrew  reader  the  idea  of  a 
mighty  man  like  Nimrod  and  the  other  ancient  heroes.  Now  a 
promise  of  personal  heroism  is  perhaps  without  analogy,  especi- 
ally as  given  to  the  son,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  father.  This 
anomaly  can  be  avoided  only  by  assuming,  what  is  probable 
enough  in  itself,  that  the  ideal  person  here  described  represents 
the  chosen  people,  the  upright  of  the  other  clause,  each  successive 
generation  of  whom  might  be  expected  to  excel  its  predecessors 
in  heroic  eminence. 

3.  Wealth  aiid  riches  {are)  in  his  house,  and  his  righteousness 
endureth  forever.  Not  only  in  his  dwelling  but  in  his  family,  so 
that  his  wealth  or  prosperity  might  have  been  said  to  endure  for- 
ever as  well  as  his  righteousness,  i.  e.  his  recognition  and  recep- 
tion as  a  righteous  person,  his  justification.  Endureth^  literally, 
(is)  standing,  the  same  expression  that  is  used  in  Ps.  cxi.  3  of 
God  himself.  There  is  also  an  analogy,  at  least  in  form,  between 
the  majesty  and  honour  of  the  righteous  God  and  the  wealth  and 
riches  of  the  righteous  man. 

4.  There  arises  in  the  darkness  light  to  the  upright — kind  and 
compassionate  and  righteous.  The  figure  in  the  first  clause  is  a 
natural  and  common  one,  denoting  relief  from  deep  distress.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xcvii.  11.  In  the  last  clause  we  have  another  in- 
stance of  the  singular  way  in  which  terms  applied  to  God  in  the 
preceding  psalm  are  copied  and  applied  to  man  in  this.  The  first 
two  epithets  in  this  clause  are  employed  above  in  Ps.  cxi.  4. 
The  principle  involved  may  be  the  same  as  in  Luke  vi.  36,  "be 
ye  therefore  merciful  as  your  Father  also  is  merciful."  Compare 


fl6  PSALM    CXII. 

Matt.  V.  48.  To  those  two  epithets  is  added  that  of  rightccus,  in 
the  wide  sense  including  both  the  others.  The  construction  of 
the  sentence  is  unusual  and  doubtful ;  but  most  probably  the  sec- 
ond clause  sustains  the  same  relation  to  the  other  as  in  v.  1  ,  tliat 
is  to  say,  it  limits  and  defines  the  general  description  upright^ 
by  confining  it  to  such  as  have  the  qualities  expressed  by  the 
three  adjectives  that  follow.  The  alternation  of  the  numbers  is 
familiar  where  the  singular  denotes  an  ideal  individual  including 
many  real  ones. 

5.  Happy  the  man  shoioing  favour  and  lending  ;  he  shall  sus^ 
tain  his  affairs  by  justice.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew,  which 
means  good^  is  here  descriptive  not  of  character  but  of  condition, 
and  denotes  good  fortune.  It  is  used  in  the  same  sense  by  Isaiah 
(iii.  10)  and  Jeremiah  (xliv.  17.)  The  common  version  (a  good 
man)  is  forbidden  by  the  Hebrew  collocation.  Lending^  not 
as  a  financial  or  commercial  operation,  but  as  an  act  of  charity, 
lending  to  the  poor.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  strictly  means 
to  provide  for  or  sustain,  especially  with  food.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Iv.  23  (22.)  It  is  here  applied  to  the  control  and  manage- 
ment of  all  one's  interests.  Affairs^  literally,  words,  but  in  the 
wider  sense  of  that  which  words  denote,  namely,  things,  aflfairs,  in 
which  sense  it  is  sometimes  applied  to  causes  or  suits  at  law. 
The  last  word  is  commonly  translated  judgment,  not  in  the  sense 
of  discretion,  given  in  the  English  versions,  but  in  that  of  practi- 
cal justice,  righteous  conduct.  He  shall  best  secure  his  own  in- 
teiests  by  treating  those  of  others  justly  and  generously. 

6.  For  to  eternity  he  shall  not  be  moved;  to  the  memory  of 
eternity  he  shall  be  righteous.  The  for  assigns  the  reason  for  his 
being  pronounced  happy.  Moved,  i.  e.  from  his  prosperous  con- 
dition, or  from  his  position  as  a  righteous  man.  The  construe* 
tion  of  the  last  clause  in  the  English  versions  {the  righteous  shah 
hz  in  everlasting  remembrance)  is  grammatical,  and  yields  a  gook 


PSALM    CXII.  117 

sense  ;  lut  the  latest  interpreters  prefer  another,  which  makes 
to  everlasting  remembrance  mean  the  same  as  to  eternity.  As 
long  as  he  shall  be  remembered,  he  shall  be  remembered  as  a 
righteous  man.  This  construction  has  the  advantage  of  making 
the  parallelism  more  exact. 

7.  From  evil  tidings  he  shall  not  fear  ;  fixed  is  his  heart,  trust- 
ing in  Jehovah.  The  first  Hebrew  noun  is  in  the  singular  num- 
ber, and  is  properly  a  participle  passive  meaning  heard,  used 
absolutely  as  a  noun  denoting  what  is  heard,  a  rumour  or  report, 
news  or  tidings.  The  common  version  {he  shall  not  be  afraid  of 
evil  tidings)  seems  to  confine  the  negation  to  the  mere  apprehen- 
sion or  anticipation  of  bad  news,  whereas  the  original  expression 
comprehends,  and  indeed  more  properly  denotes,  being  frightened 
(vhen  the  evil  tidings  are  heard.  A  fixed  heart  is  the  negation 
both  of  fickleness  and  cowardice.  See  above,  on  Ps.  li.  12  (10.) 
Ivii.  8  (7.)  cviii.  1.  Instead  of  the  active  participle  trusting, 
the  Hebrew  has  the  passive  trusted,  analogous  to  that  in  P& 
ciii.  14. 

8.  Settled  (is)  his  heart,  he  shall  not  fear,  until  he  look  uvon  hi< 
foes  (with  triumph.)  The  first  word  is  another  expression  bor- 
rowed from  the  foregoing  psalm,  but  applied  in  a  manner  alto- 
gether different.  See  Ps.  cxi.  8,  where  the  plural  of  the  same 
participle  is  applied  to  God's  commandments.  The  construction 
in  the  last  clause  is  the  idiomatic  one  of  the  verb  see  with  the 
preposition  in,  which  usually  means  to  see  with  strong  emotion, 
and  especially  with  joy  or  triumph.  See  above,  on  Ps.  1.  23. 
liv.  9  (7.)  Until  does  not  imply  that  he  shall  then  fear,  but 
that  there  will  then  be  no  occasion  so  to  do.     See  above,  on  Ps 

3X.    1. 

9.  He  has  scattered,  he  has  given  to  the  poor,  his  righteousness 
endureth  forever ,  his  horn  shall  be  high  with  honour.     The  first 


us  PSALM    ex  III. 

verb  denotes  profuse  munificence,  as  in  Prov.  xi.  34.  This  is 
alleored  not  as  the  cause  but  the  effect,  and  therefore  as  the  evi- 
dence  of  his  being  righteous.  The  next  clause  is  the  same  as  the 
last  of  V.  3.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  Ixxv.  5  (4.) 
Ixxxix.  IS  (17.) 

10.  The  wicked  shall  see  and  fret ;  his  teeth  he  shall  gnash^  avA 
shall  vielt  away  ;  the  desire  of  the  wicked  shall  perish.  He  shall 
see,  but  not  with  triumph  or  delight,  like  the  righteous  in  v.  8. 
The  word  translated /rc^  means  both  to  grieve  and  be  angry,  and 
has  no  exact  equivalent  in  English.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  8  (7.) 
X.  14,  xxxi.  10  (9.)  Gnash  with  his  teeth^  a  strong  expression  of 
impotent  malignity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  16,  xxxvii.  12. 
Mdt  aioay^  literally,  be  melted,  i.  e.  waste  or  decay.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxii.  15  (14.)  Ixviii.  3  (2.)  The  desire  of  the  wicked  ig 
his  wish  to  see  the  righteous  perish.  Compare  Prov.  x.  24,  28. 
Job  viii.  13,  and  the  contrary  promise  to  the  humble,  Ps.  lj. 
19  (18.) 


PSALM    C  X  I  I  1 

.  The  Psalmist  celebrates  the  majesty  of  God,  vs.  1 — 5,  in  con- 
trast with  his  gracious  condescension  to  his  suffering  creatures, 
vs.  6 — 9.  According  to  a  Jewish  usage,  which  appears  to  have 
existed  even  in  the  time  of  Christ,  the  six  psalms  beginning 
with  this  one  constitute  the  Greater  Hallel.,  sung  at  the  annual 
festivals,  especially  the  Passover  and  the  Feast  of  Tabernacles 
According  to  Hengstenberg's  arrangement,  this  psalm  closes  a 


PSALM    CXIII.  119 

second  trilogy,  added  to  the  Davidic  one  (Ps.  cvili — ex)  after  the 
return  from  13 aby Ion. 

1.  Hallelujah!  Praise^  ok  ye  servants  of  Jehovah^  praise  the 
name  of  Jehovah!  As  the  title,  Servard  of  Jehovah^  is  applied 
to  eminent  leadei-s  of  the  chosen  people  (Ps.  xviii.  1.  xxxvi.  1. 
xc.  1.  cv.  6),  so  the  plural,  Servaiits  of  Jehovah^  designates  the 
chosen  people  itself.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxiv.  23  (22.)  Ixix.  37  (36), 
and  below,  Ps.  exxxvi.  22,  and  compare  Ezra  v.  11.  Neh.  i.  10, 
from  which  last  places  it  appears,  that  this  was  a  familiar  form 
of  speech  with  the  returned  exiles. 

2.  Be  the  name  of  Jehovah  blessed,  from  noic  and  even  to  eternity. 
In  this  as  well  as  the  preceding  verse,  the  name  of  Jehovah  in- 
volves the  usual  allusion  to  the  manifestation  of  his  nature  in  his 
former  acts.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  The  wish  expressed 
in  this  verse  implies  a  perpetual  continuation  or  renewal  of  the 
evidence  already  furnished. 

3  Frovi  the  rising  of  the  sun  even  to  its  settings  {to  he)  praised 
(is  the)  name  of  Jehovah.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  1.  1. 
The  last  clause  might  be  grammatically  construed  as  a  wish,  like 
that  in  the  preceding  verse,  praised  {be  the)  name  of  Jehovah. 
It  is  more  probable,  however,  that  the  passive  participle  {landa- 
tiis)  was  meant  to  have  the  force  of  a  gerundive  {laudandus.)  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  4  (3.) 

4.  High  above  all  nations  {is)  Jehovah  ;  above  the  heavens  {is) 
his  {glory.)  The  two  clauses  are  declaratory  of  his  infinite  su- 
periority, both  to  the  animate  and  inanimate  creation,  each  being 
represented  by  its  noblest  part ;  the  former  by  mankind,  and 
that  considered  not  as  individuals  but  nations  ;  the  latter  by 
the  heavens.  Thij  is  certainly  more  natural,  and  yields  a  better 
sense,  than  to  give  the  preposition  (b?)  a  difierent  meaning  in  the 
two  clauses,  in  the  first  that  of  dbove.  in  the  second  that  of  on.  in 


120  PSALM    CXIIl. 

which  case  It  is  necessary  to  explain  on  heaven  as  meaning  in 
heaven^  just  as  on  the  earth  and  in  the  earth  are  convertible  ex- 
pressions.    See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  6  (5.) 

5  Who  is  like  Jehovah,  our  God,  the  (one)  dwelling  high  ^ 
The  verb  denotes  not  merely  dwelling,  but  sitting  enthroned,  sit- 
tiua:  as  a  kins;.  The  orimnal  construction  of  the  last  clause  is 
peculiar,  the  (one)  making  high  to  sit  (or  dwell.) 

6.  The  one  seeing  deejp — in  heaven  and  in  earth.  The  construc- 
tion of  the  first  clause  is  precisely  the  same  with  that  of  the  last 
clause  in  v.  5,  and  must  be  explained  in  the  same  manner.  As 
making  high  to  dwell  means  dwelling  high,  so  making  low  (or 
deep)  to  see  must  mean  seeing  deep,  i.  e.  far  below.  It  also  fol- 
lows from  the  exact  correspondence  of  these  clauses,  that  the 
remaining  words  of  v.  6  are  to  be  connected  with  the  first  words 

of  V.  5.      Who  is   like   Jehovah,  our   God in  heaven  and  in 

earth  ?  The  rest  will  then  be  read  as  a  parenthesis.  This  con- 
struction is  confirmed  by  the  analogy  of  Deut.  iii.  24. 

7.  Raising  from  the  dust  the  poor — fro?n  the  dunghill  he  will 
lift  the  needy.  The  mention  of  God's  seeing  far  below  him  sug- 
gests the  idea  of  his  condescension  to  the  humblest  objects  which 
he  thus  beholds.  The  word  translated  poor  is  one  of  wide  signi- 
fication, meaning  sometimes  poor  in  flesh  and  sometimes  poor  in 
purse.  SsG  above,  on  Ps.  xli.  2  (I.)  The  parallel  term  means 
foor  in  the  strict  sense,  i.  e.  needy,  destitute.  Dust  and  dung- 
-hill,  common  figures  in  all  languages  for  a  degraded  social  state. 
The  terms  are  borrowed  from  the  prayer  of  Hannah,  1  Sam.  ii.  S. 
Compare  Ps.  xliv.  26  (25.) 

8.  To  make  him  sit  xoith  nohles,  with  the  nohles  of  his  people 
Not  merely  to  dwell,  which  is  too  vague,  but  to  sit  with  them,  a? 
their  equal  and  associate.    There  is  also  a  climax  in  the  last  clause 


PSALM    CXI V.  121 

He  not  only  raises  the  poor  to  an  equality  with  nobles  in  general^ 
but  with  the  nobles  of  his  people,  i.  e.  with  the  noblest  of  man- 
kind.    See  again,  1  Sam.  ii.  8. 

9.  Makwg  the  barren  {one)  of  the  houze  to  sit  a  joyful  mother 
of  children.  Hallelujah  !  The  common  version  {to  kecjp  houie) 
is  founded  upon  Ps.  Ixviii.  7  (6),  but  is  here  at  variance  both 
with  Hebrew  usage  and  the  masoretic  accents,  which  require 
(kT^py)  barren  and  (rr^sri)  the  house  to  be  closely  united  in  con- 
struction, as  above.  The  form  of  expression  is  like  one  in  Ps. 
Ixviii.  13  (12.)  To  sit  might  be  rendered  to  dwell  without  any 
material  change  of  sense  ;  but  the  former  keeps  up  the  uniformity 
with  vs.  5,  8,  where  the  same  Hebrew  word  is  used.  The  his- 
torical allusion  is  to  Hannah  who,  with  other  long  childless 
mothers  mentioned  in  the  sacred  history,  was  a  type  of  the  Church 
in  its  low  estate,  and  more  especially  in  exile.  Compare  Isai 
'iv.  1. 


PSALM    C  X  T  Y  . 

As  the  preceding  psalm  encouraged  the  people  of  God,  in  a 
ime  of  trial,  by  reminding  them  that,  although  infinitely  exalted, 
le  condescends  to  notice  and  relieve  the  sufferings  of  his  Ci'e&- 
'ures,  so  the  one  before  us  is  intended  to  produce  the  samt^ 
effect,  by  bringing  to  their  recollection  what  he  actually  did  fo)( 
Israel  in  the  period  of  the  exodus  from  Egypt.  By  that  deliver 
ance  he  acknowledged  Israel  as  his  chosen  people,  vs.  1,  2,  ami 
attested  the  acknowledgment  by  miracle,  vs   3,  4.     Nature  he4 

VOL.    III.  6 


122  PSALM    CXIV. 

self,  whose  course  was  interrupted,  is  appealed  to  as  a  witr  .s, 
vs.  5,  6,  that  she  is  subject  to  the  God  of  Israel,  vs.  7,  8.  T'.  iro 
is  no  improbability  in  the  opinion  that  this  psalm,  witL  those 
which  immediately  follow,  was  intended  to  continue  the  series 
begun  in  the  two  preceding  trilogies  (Ps.  cviii — ex,  cxi — ^cxiii), 
and  intended  to  sustain  the  hopes  of  the  Jewisli  Church  after 
its  return  from  Babylon. 

1.  In  the  coming  forth  of  Israel  from  Egypt,  of  the,  houu  of 
lacoh  from  a  people  of  strange  language.  The  first  phrase  is 
not  to  be  restricted  to  the  very  act  or  moment  of  the  exodus,  but 
comprehends  the  whole  Mosaic  period,  of  which  this  was  the 
characteristic  and  critical  event.  The  house  of  Jacob  is  a  phrase 
peculiarly  appropriate  to  those  who  entered  Egypt  as  a  family,  and 
left  it  as  a  nation.  Of  strange  language  is  a  paraphrase  of  one 
Hebrew  word,  apparently  a  participle  and  occurring  only  here  ; 
but  according  to  its  obvious  etymological  affinities,  it  probably 
means  stammerings  and  then^  by  an  association  common  in  an- 
tiquity, speaking  barbarously,  i.  e.  in  a  foreign  language.  AL 
such  expressions  may  perhaps  involve  an  allusion  to  the  pre- 
eminence of  Hebrew,  as  the  primitive  and  sacred  language.  I^ 
was  no  small  part  of  the  humiliation  to  which  Israel  was  sub- 
jected in  Egypt,  that  the  people  of  Grod  should  sustain  for  ages  a 
relation  of  dependence  to  a  nation  who  did  not  even  speak  the 
sacred  language,  much  less  profess  the  true  religion,  so  insepar- 
ably blended  with  it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxi.  6  (5),  and  com- 
pare my  note  on  Isai.  xxxiii.  19. 

2.  Judah  became  his  sanctuary,  Israel  his  dominion.  Judah  ia 
put  as  an  equivalent  to  Israel,  not  only  because  it  had  really  be- 
come so  when  the  psalm  was  written,  but  because  it  was  destined 
to  become  so  from  the  first.  See  Gren.  xlix.  10.  Became,  liter- 
ally, was  for,  which  might  mean  notliing  more  than  served  as  or 
was  trealed  as ;  but  this  construction  cf  the  verb  to  be  with  to  or 


PSALM    CXIV.  123 

for  IS  the  only  represeDtative  in  Hebrew  of  our  -word  hecom^. 
The  sense  thus  obtained  is  entirely  consistent  with  the  calling 
of  Abraham,  because  what  is  here  meant  is  that  Israel,  as  a  na- 
tion, was  now  publicly  declared  to  be  the  chosen  or  peculiar  peo- 
ple, an  idea  expressed  by  the  phrase  his  sanctuary  or  holy  things 
i.  e.  something  set  apart  exclusively  to  his  use  and  service.  The 
parallel  word  in  the  original  is  plural,  dominions  or  domains^  in 
reference,  as  some  suppose,  to  the  plurality  of  tribes,  but  accord- 
ing to  others,  in  contrast  with  the  lordships  and  dominions  of  the 
world,  to  all  which  Israel  is  described  as  more  than  equipollent, 
just  as  the  infinite  superiority  of  the  true  Grod  to  all  false  gods 
is  expressed  or  suggested  by  the  plural  name  Elohiin.  Here,  as 
in  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  1 ,  the  pronouns  are  without  an  antecedent  in  the 
sentence.  The  reference  to  God  is  so  self-evident,  that  the  only 
question  has  respect  to  the  unusual  form,  which  some  explain 
by  supposing  that  the  psalm  was  originally  part  of  the  preceding 
one,  or  at  least  designed  to  be  always  read  or  sung  directly  after 
it.  The  latest  interpreters  prefer  the  explanation,  that  the  name 
of  God  was  designedly  suppressed,  in  order  that  the  questions  in 
vs.  5,  6,  might  appear  more  natural  and  yet  more  striking. 

3.  The  sea  saw  and  fled — the  Jordan  turns  hack.  By  suppos- 
ing the  conversive  prefix  to  affect  both  verbs,  we  may  render  ihe 
last  also  as  a  preterite,  turned  lack.  The  historical  allusion  is  to 
Ex.  xiv.  21.  Josh.  iii.  14 — 17.  At  the  same  time,  as  seas  and 
rivers  are  familiar  emblems  of  the  world  and  its  nations,  the  remi- 
niscence is  adapted  to  suggest  the  hope,  that  other  seas  and 
other  rivers  may  be  yet  controlled  by  the  same  power.  Se4 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvii.  17  (16.)  xciii.  3.  cvii.  23. 

4  The  mountains  skipped  like  rams^  {the)  hills  like  thz  young  oj 
%he.e.p.  As  the  Psalmist  is  reciting  actual  events,  to  be  used  as 
symbols  and  pledges  of  others,  this  cannot  be  exp.ained  as  a  po- 
etical figure,  but  must  be  understood  as  referring  to  the  concus* 


124  PSA  LAI    CXIV. 

sion  of  Sinai,  with  its  various  peaks  and  neighbouring  mountaina 
Se<}  Ex.  xix.  IS.  Judg.  v.  4.  Ps.  Ixviii.  9  (8.)  xcvii.  4,  5.  Hab. 
ui.  6.  Here  again,  the  familiar  use  of  mountains  to  denote  states 
and  empires  is  suggestive  of  the  same  consohition  as  in  v.  3. 

5.  IV/iat  aileth  thee^  oh  sea^  thai  thou  Jicest — oh  Jordan  {that) 
thou  turnest  hack  ?  By  a  fine  poetical  apostrophe,  the  Psahnist, 
instead  of  simply  stating  the  cause  of  these  effects,  puts  the 
question  to  the  natural  objects  which  thus  witnessed  and  attested 
the  divine  presence.  The  first  phrase  literally  means,  what  (is) 
to  thce^  the  nearest  approach  that  the  Semitic  dialects  can  make 
to  our  expression,  what  have  you^  which  in  some  languages,  the 
French  for  instance,  is  the  usual  equivalent  to  what  ails  yoit  7 


6.  Ye  moiintains^  [that)  ye  skip  like  rams — ye  hills ^  like  the  young 
of  sheep  1  The  sentence  is  continued  from  the  foregoing  verse, 
being  still  dependent  on  the  question  there  asked.  In  this  in- 
terrogation the  terms  of  vs.  3,  4,  are  studiously  repeated.  The 
young  of  sheep  ^  literally,  sons  of  the  flock. 

7.  From  leforethe  Lord  tremble,  oh  earthy  from  before  the  Goa 
of  Jacoh.  As  in  other  cases  of  rhetorical  interrogation,  the 
writer  or  speaker  answers  his  own  question.  The  imperative 
mood  is  here  peculiarly  significant,  including  both  a  recollection 
and  prediction  ;  as  if  he  had  said,  the  earth  might  well  tremble  at 
the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  may  well  tremble  at  it  still.  From 
before  is  better  than  at  the  'presence  of^  because  the  very  form  of  the 
expression  necessarily  suggests  the  ideas  of  recoil  and  flight. 
Before  is  itself  a  compound  term  in  Hebrew,  meaning  to  the  face 
of.  The  word  translated  Lord  is  the  simple  or  primitive  form  of 
Adhonai^  and  is  applied  both  to  God  «ind  man,  in  the  sense  of 
lord  or  master.     See  Ex.  xxiii.  17.  Mai.  iii.  1 

S    Turning  the  rock  (into)  a  pool  of  water ^  the  flint  to  springs 


PSALM    CXV.  125 

of  water.  Tliis  refers  to  the  miraculous  supply  of  w-ater  in  tlio 
desert.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cvii.  35,  and  compare  Ex.  xvii.  6 
Num.  XX.  11.  Deut.  viii.  15.  xxxii.  13.  Isai.  xli.  18  The  con- 
nection with  the  preceding  verse  is  still  more  marked  in  the 
original,  the  first  words  of  which  strictly  mean  the  (one)  turnmg^ 
etc.  The  reader  is  left  to  draw  for  himself  the  natural  and 
obvious  conclusion,  that  the  God,  who  thus  drew  water  from  a 
flinty  rock  for  the  supply  of  Israel,  can  still  educe  the  richest 
blessings  from  what  seem  to  be  the  hardest  and  most  inauspicious 
situations.  When  this  thought  is  supplied,  the  ps&lm  no  longer 
seems  unfinished  or  abrupt  in  its  conclusion. 


PSALM     C  X  Y 


G-c-:)  is  entreated  by  his  people  to  vindicate  not  their  honour 
but  his  own,  vs.  1,  2,  which  is  contrasted  with  the  impotence  of 
idols  and  their  worshippers,  vs.  3 — 8,  and  urged  as  a  reason  why 
his  people  should  trust  in  him,  for  a  large  increase,  vs.  9 — 15, 
and  a  fulfilment  of  his  purpose  to  glorify  himself  by  the  praises  of 
the  living  not  the  dead,  vs.  16 — 17,  in  the  promotion  of  which 
end  the  church  declares  her  resolution  to  co-operate  forever, 
V.  IS.  The  general  tenor  of  the  psalm,  thus  stated,  and  its  par- 
ticular contents,  make  it  perfectly  well  suited  to  the  state  of 
things  in  which  the  series  is  supposed  to  have  been  written, 
namely,  that  succeeding  the  return  from  exile,  but  before  the 
actual  rebuilding  of  the  temple. 

1.  Not  unto  uSy  Jehovah,  not  unto   us,  hut  to  thy  name  give 


126  PSALM    CXV. 

glory ^  for  thy  mercy ^  for  thy  truth.  The  glory  meant  is  not  that 
of  former  but  of  future  deeds.  The  implied  petition  is,  that  God 
would  interpose  for  the  deliverance  of  his  people,  not  to  do  them 
honour  but  to  glorify  himself,  and  especially  to  vindicate  his 
mercy  and  fidelity,  which  seemed  to  be  dishonoured  by  his  de- 
sertion of  the  chosen  people.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxix.  9,  and 
compare  Num.  xiv.  15.  Isai.  xliii.  7,  25.  xlviii.  9,  11.  Dan.  ix.  18 
The  favour  sought  is  the  completion  of  the  work  of  restoration, 
gtill  imperfect,  though  auspiciously  begun. 

2.  Why  should  the  nations  say.,  Where  noiv  is  their  Godl 
Why  should  they  have  occasion  so  to  ask  ?  The  form  of  expres- 
sion is  borrowed  from  Ps.  Ixxix.  10,  with  the  addition  of  (i!:2)  now, 
which  is  not  a  particle  of  time,  but  of  entreaty,  or,  in  this  con- 
nection, of  triumphant  demand.  Where^  P'^^y-)  ^'^  their  God? 
This  verse  is  explanatory  of  the  one  before  it,  by  showing  that 
there  really  was  need  of  something  to  silence  the  reproaches  of 
the  heathen,  a  description  exactly  corresponding  to  the  state  of 
tho  Jews  at  the  Restoration. 

3.  And  our  God  (is)  in  heaven  ;  all  that  he  pleased  he  has  done. 
The  aTid^  though  foreign  from  our  idiom,  adds  sensibly  to  the 
force  of  the  expression.  They  ask  thus,  as  if  our  God  were  ab- 
sent or  had  no  existence  ;  and  yet  all  the  while  our  God  is  in 
heaven,  in  his  glorious  and  exalted  dwelling-place.  Compare  Ps. 
ii.  4.  xi.  4.  ciii.  19.  The  same  phrase,  but  in  the  future  tense, 
is  used  by  Solomon  (Ecc.  viii.  3.)  The  same  idea  is  expressed 
in  other  words,  Gen.  xviii.  14.  Job.  xxiii.  13. 

4.  Their  idols  {are)  silver  and  gold,  the  luork  of  the  hands  of 
man.  Here  begins  the  contrast  between  the  true  God  and  all 
others.  Their  idols,  those  of  the  Gentiles,  who  reproach  us  with 
the  absence  or  indifference  of  our  God.  For  the  association? 
Doupled  with    the    weird  for    idols,    see   above,  on  Ps.   cvi.  38 


PSALM    CXV.  127 

Hands  of  man^  not  of  a  ?nan,  but  of  mankhirl,  i.  e.  human  hands 
With  this  whole  passage  compare  Isai.  xl.  18 — 20.  xli.  7.  xliv. 
9—20.  xlvi.  5—7.  Jer.  ii.  28.  x.  3—15. 

5.  They  have  a  mrnUh  and  S'peak  not  ;  they  have  eyes  and  see  not 
As  the  verb  to  have  is  wanting  in  the  Hebrew  and  its  cognate 
languages  (see  above,  on  Ps.  cxiv.  5),  it  is  not  a  literal  transla- 
tion of  the  original  expression,  (there  is)  a  mouth  to  them^  (there 
are)  eyes  to  them.  The  futures  include  not  only  a  simple  affirm- 
ation, they  speak  not^  they  see  not^  but  the  future  and  potential 
sense,  they  nev^er  will  or  can  speak  or  see. 

6.  They  have  ears  and  hear  not.^  they  have  a  nose  and  smell  not. 
The  antithesis  is  that  expressed  in  Ps.  xciv.  9,  that  God  is  the 
former  of  the  eye  and  the  planter  of  the  ear  in  man  ;  much  more 
then  can  he  see  and  hear  himself. 

7.  They  have  hands  and  feel  not ;  they  have  feet  and  walk  not ; 
they  do  not  mutter  in  their  throat.  The  sameness  of  this  long 
enumeration,  the  force  of  which  is  logical  and  not  poetical,  is 
partially  relieved  by  a  change  in  the  form  of  the  original,  which 
cannot  well  be  imitated  in  translation.  Their  hands.,  and  they 
feci  not  ;  their  feet.,  and  they  ivalk  not.  Some  make  the  first 
words  in  each  clause  nominatives  absolute;  their  hands — they  feel 
%ot ;  their  feet — they  walk  not.  But  in  the  preceding  parts  of 
the  description,  the  verbs  relate  not  to  the  particular  members, 
but  to  the  whole  person.  It  is  better,  therefore,  to  supply  a 
7erb — their  hands  (are  there)  and  (yet)  they  feci  not — their  feet 
(are  there)  and  (yet)  they  go  not.  The  English  feel  is  to  be 
taken  in  its  physical  and  outward  sense,  corresponding  t  the 
Latin  palpo.,  here  used  by  the  Vulgate  and  Jerome.  A  less 
equivocal  translation  would  be  touch.  The  other  verb  denotes  all 
progressive  movements  of  the  body,  comprehended  in  the  English 
go.     See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  3.      The  meaning  of  the  last  clause 


128  PSALM    CX  V^. 

is,  that  they  cannot  even  make  the  faintest  and  most  inarticulate 
guttural  noise,  like  the  lower  animals ;  much  less  speak  as  meD 
do.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxv.  28.  Ixxi.  24. 

8.  Like  tfievi  shall  he  (hose  ivho  make  them,  every  one  toho  trusfi 
in  them.  The  last  clause  forbids  the  application  of  the  first  to  the 
mere  artificers,  as  such,  and  fastens  it  on  those  who  trust  in  idols, 
whether  made  by  them  or  by  others  for  them.  However  formi- 
dable now,  they  shall  hereafter  be  as  powerless  and  senseless  as 
the  gods  they  worship.  The  translation  are  is  contrary  to  Hebrew 
usage,  which  requires  the  present  tense  of  the  substantive  verb 
to  be  suppressed. 

9.  Oh  Israel^  trust  thou  in  Jehovah  ;  their  help  and  their  shield 
{is)  He.  This  is  the  practical  application  of  the  contrast  just 
presented.  Since  idols  are  impotent  and  Grod  almighty,  it  is 
folly  to  fear  them  or  their  servants;  it  is  worse  than  folly  not  to 
trust  in  Him.  The  la-st  clause  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  xxxiii.  20. 
After  addressing  Israel  directly  in  the  first  clause,  he  resumes 
the  third  person  in  the  second,  and,  as  if  speaking  to  himself, 
assigns  the  reason  for  the  exhortation.  The  first  clause  is,  as  it 
were,  uttered  in  a  loud  voice,  and  the  second  in  a  low  one. 

10.  Oh  house  of  Aaron.,  trust  ye  in  Jehovah ;  their  help  and 
their  shield  {is)  He.  Before  the  exile  this  particular  address  to 
the  priests  would  have  been  surprising.  It  is  perfectly  natural, 
however,  after  the  return  from  Babylon,  when  the  priests  bore 
so  large  a  proportion,  not  only  to  the  other  levites,  but  to  the 
whole  nation,  and  naturally  exercised  a  paramount  influence  in 
its  affairs. 

11.  Fearers  of  Jehovah^  trust  ye  in  Jehovah;  their  hdjp  and 
their  shield  (is)  He.  He  turns  again  to  the  people  at  large,  who 
ftre  here  described  as  fearers  of  Jehovah,  not  in  reference  to  th*t 


PSALM    CXV.  129 

actual  character  of  all  the  individual  members,  Lut  to  the  high- 
vocation  of  the  body.     See  above,  Ps.  xxii.  24  (23.)  cxi.  5. 

12.  Jehovah  hath  retnembered  us  ;  he  loill  bless,  he  will  bless  ihi 
house  of  Israel;  he  ivill  bless  the  house  of  Aaron.  The  exhorta- 
tion to  confide  in  God  does  not  imply  that  he  has  yet  done  nothing. 
He  has  already  shown  his  gracious  recollection  of  us  by  beginning 
to  bless  us,  and  he  will  still  go  on  to  bless  us  5  an  idea  simply  but 
beautifully  expressed  by  the  repetition  of  the  verb,  the  effect  of 
which  is  spoiled  in  the  common  version  by  needlessly  supplying  us 

13.  lie  will  bless  the  fearers  of  Jehovah,  the  small  ivith  the 
great.  There  is  no  need  of  explaining  the  great  to  be  the  priests 
and  the  small  the  laity.  It  is  much  more  na.tural  to  understand 
this  as  an  instance  of  a  common  Hebrew  idiom,  which  combines 
small  and  great  in  the  sense  of  all,  just  as  neither  good  7ior  evil 
means  neither  one  thing  nor  another,  i.  e  nothing.  Compare 
2  Kings  xviii.  24.  Jer.  xvi.  6.  Rev.  xiii.  16.  xix.  6. 

14.  May  Jehovah  add  to  you,,  to  you  and  to  your  children  !  This 
implibS  a  previous  diminution  of  the  people,  such  as  really  took 
place  in  the  Babylonish  exile.  The  optative  meaning  of  the 
verb,  both  here  and  in  Gen.  xxx.  24,  is  clear  from  Deut.  i.  11. 
2.  Sam.  xxiv.  3.  The  Hebrew  preposition  strictly  means  npon 
you,  and  conveys  the  idea  of  accumulation  much  more  strongly. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxi.  14,  where  we  have  an  example  of  the 
same  construction. 

15.  Blessed  are  ye  of  .Jehovah,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth.  Ye 
are  the  people  blessed  of  old  in  the  person  of  your  father  Abra- 
ham, by  Melchizedek,  priest  of  the  ]\Iost  High  God,  saying, 
""  Blessed  be  Abraham  of  the  Most  High  God,  creator  of  heavea 
and  earth,"  Gen.  xiv.  19.  Of  Jzhovah,  literally,  ^0  Jehovah,  as 
an  object  of  benediction  to  him.      Or  the  Hebrew  preposition,  as 


130  PSALM    CXV. 

in  many  other  cases,  may  be  simply  equivalent  to  our  by.  The 
creative  character  of  God  is  mentioned,  as  ensuring  his  ability, 
DO  less  than  his  willingness,  to  bless  his  people. 

16.  The  heavens  (are)  heavens  fur  Jehovah^  and  the  earth  he  has 
given  to  the  sons  of  man.  This  verse  suggests  another  reason 
why  God  would  increase  them,  namely,  that  although  he  reserved 
heaven  for  himself,  he  designed  the  earth  to  be  filled  and  occu- 
pied by  man,  and  hence  in  the  primeval  blessing  on  mankind, 
as  originally  uttered,  and  as  repeated  after  the  flood  (Gen  i.  28 
ix.  1),  the  command  to  increase  is  coupled  with  that  to  fill  the 
earth.  Now  if  it  is  not  God's  will  that  the  race  should  be  diminished 
and  reduced  to  nothing,  much  less  can  such  be  his  intention 
with  respect  to  his  own  people.  The  form  of  expression  in  the 
fii-st  clause  is  unusual.  The  construction  given  in  the  English 
Bible  {ihe  heaven^  even  the  heavens^  are  the  Lord^)  is  entirely 
gratuitous,  the  distinction  of  numbers  {heaven^  heavens)^  and  the 
emphatic  erc/z,  being  both  supplied  by  the  translators.  The 
Hebrew  word  is  plural  in  both  cases,  and  is  indeed  used  only  in 
that  number. 

17.  (It  is)  not  the  dead  (that)  are  to  praise  Jah^  atid  not  all 
(those)  going  down  to  silence.  This  may  be  regarded  as  a  further 
reason  for  expecting  the  divine  protection.  God  has  chosen  a 
people,  from  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  to  praise  him, not 
when  dead  but  living,  not  in  the  silence  of  the  grave,  but  with  their 
voices  in  the  present  life.  Thus  understood,  the  verse  teaches  no- 
thing as  to  the  employments  of  the  disembodied  spirit,  or  of  soul 
and  body  in  the  future  state.  All  that  is  afl&rmed  here  (and  per- 
liaps  in  other  places  like  it)  is  that  the  praises  of  the  chosen 
people,  as  such,  must  be  limited  to  this  life.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
vi.  6  (5.)  XXX.  10  (9.)  Ixxxviii.  11 — 13  (10 — 12),  and  compare 
Isai.  xxxviii.  18.  Silence^  a  poetical  description  of  the  grave  or 
the  unseen  world,  as  in  Ps.  xciv.  17 


PSALM    CXVI.  13i 

38.  And  (therefore)  loe  will  bless  Jah  from  now  even  U 
ttermiy..  Hallelujah  !  As  it  is  not  the  dead  who  are  to  do  it, 
pnd  as  we  are  still  preserved  alive,  let  us  answer  our  vocation  and 
the  very  end  of  our  existence.  The  insensible  transition  from 
temporal  to  eternal  praise  is  altogether  natural.  The  hallelujah 
refers  back  to  the  expression  praise  Jah  (yehallelujah)  in  v.  17. 
As  if  he  had  said  :  let  us  do  what  the  dead  can  not,  shout  Hallo- 
iiijah  ! 


PSALM    CXVI 


The  Church  declares  her  resolution  to  praise  Jehovah  for 
the  deliverance  which  she  has  experienced,  vs.  1,  2,  and  which  is 
then  described  with  some  particularity,  vs.  3 — 10,  followed  by 
a  declaration  of  the  way  in  which  the  Church  means  to  express 
her  gratitude,  vs.  11 — 19.  The  Septuagint  and  Vulgate,  which 
combine  the  two  preceding  psalms  as  one,  divide  the  one  before 
us  into  two,  with  as  little  reason  in  the  one  case  as  the  other. 
The  state  of  things  referred  to  in  this  psalm,  as  one  of  mingled 
joy  and  grief,  and  its  peculiarities  of  language,  all  combine  to  fix 
its  date  immediately  after  the  return  from  Babylon. 

1.  I  love — because  Jehovah  hears  my  voice,  my  supplications. 
The  common  version  gives  the  sense  correctly,  but  by  a  transpo- 
sition of  Jehovah,  avoids  the  singular  peculiarity  of  form  in  the 
orio-inal.  The  object  of  the  verb  I  love  is  easily  supplied  from 
the  remainder  of  the  sentence.  Compare  Ps.  xviii.  2  (1.)  Deut. 
vi.  5.  Both  verbs  may  be  translated  in  the  present,  though  of 
different  tenses  in  the  Hebrew.     The  preterite  form  of  the  first 


32  PSALM    CXVI. 

(I  have  loved)  implies  that  the  occasion  had  already  been  afforded 
the  future  form  of  the  second  (he  will  hear)^  that  it  was  con- 
tinued and  would  be  continued.      The  last  word,  according  to  its 
etymology,  means  prayers  for  grace  or  favour. 

2.  For  he  has  inclmed  his  ear  to  me,  and  in  my  days  I  icill  call 
(jipon  him,)  The  original  idea  of  the  figure  in  the  first  clause 
seems  to  be  that  of  leaning  forward  to  catch  a  sound  otherwise 
too  faint  to  be  distinctly  audible.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxi.  3  (2), 
and  compare  Ps.  xvii.  6.  Ixxi.  2.  Ixxviii.  1.  cii.  3.  In  my  days 
is  commonly  understood  to  mean  through  all  the  days  of  my  life, 
or  as  long  as  I  live.  Compare  Isai.  xxxix.  8,  and  sec  above,  on 
Ps.  civ.  33.  1  icill  call  might  be  understood  to  mean^  I  will  still 
pray  to  him  who  has  hitherto  answered  my  petitions.  But  to  call 
upon  God  is  applied  not  only  to  prayer  but  to  thanksgiving,  as 
appears  from  v.  13  below,  where  indeed  we  have  the  execution 
of  the  purpose  here  avowed. 

3.  The  hands  of  death  enclosed  me,  and  the  pangs  of  hell  found 
me  ;  distress  and  grief  I  find.  Here  begins  the  description  of 
the  sufferings  from  which  God  had  delivered  him.  The  expres- 
sions are  borrowed  from  Ps.  xviii.  5,  6,  (4,  5.)  The  twofold  use 
of  the  xevhfind  in  this  verse  is  analogous  to  that  of  the  synony- 
mous verbs  catch  and  seize  in  English,  when  a  man  is  said  to 
catch  a  disease,  and  the  disease  is  said  to  seize  the  man.  Com- 
pare Ps.  cxix.  143  with  Prov.  vi.  33.  Hell,  in  the  wide  sense 
corresponding  to  sheol,  the  grave,  death,  or  the  state  of  the  dead. 

-See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.) 

4.  And  on  the  name  of  Jehovah  I  call:  ah  now,  Jehovah,  de* 
liver  my  zoul !  The  future  in  the  first  clause  may  be  strictly 
translated  (i  will  call)  as  expressing  the  determination  which  he 
formed  in  the  midst  of  his  distress.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  5,  7 
(4,  6.)     Ah  now  corresponds  exactly,  both  in  origin  and   mean* 


PSALM    CXVI.  133 

mg,  to   the  intensive  particle  of  entreaty  (nS!^  for  i^^j^  from  rns^ 
and  i^5)^    which   the  common  version  paraphrases,  I  beseech  thee. 
One  of  the  elements  of  which  it  is  compounded    occurs  above 
Ps.  cxv.  2. 

5.  Gracious  (is)  Jehovah  and  righteous,  and  our  God  shoia 
pity.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  cxi.  4.  cxii.  4.  The 
last  word  in  Hebrew  is  the  active  participle  of  the  verb  to  pity 
to  compassionate,  and  is  here  used  to  denote  a  habit  as  distino-uished 
from  a  momentary  feeling. 

6.  A  preserver  of  the  simple  {is)  Jehovah;  J  was  brought  low, 
>znd  to  me  he  brought  salvation.  Here  again  the  first  word  is  an 
active  participle,  keeping  the  simple,  i.  e.  habitually  watching  over 
them.  For  the  meaning  of  the  simple,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xix. 
8  (7.)  The  word  brought,  twice  used  in  translating  this  verse, 
has  nothing  distinctly  corresponding  to  it  in  the  Hebrew,  but  by 
a  fortuitous  coincidence,  enters  into  two  English  phrases,  by 
which  the  original  verbs  may  best  be  represented.  The  verb 
translated  brought  low  means  to  be  reduced,  in  person,  strength, 
or  circumstances.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxix.  S,  and  compare  the 
cognate  adjective  in  Ps.  xli.  2  (1.)  The  other  is  the  common 
Hebrew  verb  to  save,  here  expressed  by  a  circumlocution,  for 
the  purpose  of  retaining  the  original  construction  with  the  prepo- 
sition to,  which  also  occurs  above,  Ps.  Ixxii.  4.  Ixxxvi.  16. 

7.  Returii.,  oh  my  soul,  unto  thy  rest,  for  Jehovah  hath  bestowed 
upon  thee  (favour.)     By  calling  on  his  soul,  which  had  been  agi- 
tated and  alarmed,  to  return  to  its  repose,  he  implies  the  cessation 
of  the    danger.     Rest,  literally,  rests   or  resting-places,  implying 
fulness  or  completeness  of  repose.      See  above,  on   Ps.  xxiii.  2 
For  the  sense  and  usage  of  (b^n)  the  last  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps 
xiii.  6  (5),  and  compare  Ps.  vii.  5  (4.)  ciii.  10.    The  unusual  gram 
niatieal  forms  in  this  vei-se  are  similar  to  those  in  Ps.  ciii.  2,  5. 


134  PSALM    CX VI. 

8.  For  thou  hast  ddivtred  my  soul  from  death^  my  eye  from 
weeping,  my  foot  from  falling.  By  a  sudden  apostrophe,  Grod  is 
now  addressed  directly.  The  first  and  last  members  of  the 
sentence  are  borrowed  from  Ps.  Ivi.  14  (13.)  The  second  bears 
some  resemblance  to  Ps.  Ivi.  9  (8)  and  Jer.  xxxi.  16. 

9.  I  will  ivalk  before  Jehovah  in  the  land  of  life  (or  of  the  liv- 
ing.) This  is  also  borrowed  from  Ps.  Ivi.  14  (13),  with  the 
substitution  of  land  (literally  lands)  lor  light.  Compare  Ps. 
xxvii.  13.  The  hope  here  expressi^d  is  in  contrast  with  Ps. 
cxv.  17. 

10.  I  believed.)  for  (thus)  I  speak;  I vms  afflicted  greatly.  I 
must  have  exercised  faith,  or  I  could  not  thus  have  spoken.  The 
Septuagint  version,  retained  in  the  New  Testament  (2  Cor.  iv.  13), 
clothes  the  same  essential  meaning  in  a  different  form,  I  believed .^ 
therefore  have  I  s^c  en.  It  was  because  his  faith  enabled  him  to 
Bpeak,  so  that  hij  rpeaking  was  a  proof  of  faith. 

11.  I  said  i^L  p  j  terror,  All  mankind  {arc)  false.  The  form  of 
expression  in  Va'  first  clause  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  xxxi.  23  (22.) 
But  instead  of  being  a  confession  of  error  it  is  here  rather  a 
piofession  of  faith.  Even  in  the  midst  of  his  excitement,  terror, 
panic,  he  could  turn  away  from  all  human  aid  and  trust  in  Grod 
alone.  The  pi-oposition,  all  mankind  are  false,  i.  e.  not  to  be 
trusted  or  relied  upon,  implies  as  its  complement  or  converse, 
therefore  God  alone  is  to  be  trusted.  See  the  same  contrast 
•stated  more  explicitly  in  Ps.  cxviii.  8,  and  compare  Ps.  IxiL 
9,  10  (S,  9.)  cviii.  13  (12.)  cxlvi.  3,  4. 

12.  How  shall  1  requite  to  Jehovah  all  his  bestoioments  upon  me. 
Between  this  verse  and  that  before  it,  we  must  supply  the  thought 
that  his  faith  was  rewarded  and  justified  by  the  event.  This  is 
indeed  implied  in  the  interrogation   now  before  us.      JJow^  liter 


PSALM    CXVI 


135 


ally  what^  i.  e.  {in)  lohat  {loay),  or  {hy)  what  (means)  ?  See  Gen, 
xliv.  16.  The  unusual  word  bestoiumenis  is  here  used  to  repre- 
sent a  Hebrew  one  occurring  only  here,  but  evidently  formed 
from  the  verb  (b:'_25)  to  confer  or  bestow  upon,  employed  in  v.  7 
above.  The  peculiar  form  both  of  the  noun  and  pronoun 
{•nib^TOp?!  is  regarded  by  the  highest  philological  authorities  as 
tixiug  the  date  of  the  composition  after  the  Captivity. 

13.  The  cup  of  salvations  I  icill  take  up,  and  on  the  name  of 
Jehovah  will  call.  This  is  commonly  explained  by  a  reference  to 
the  Jewish  tradition  of  a  cup  of  thanksgiving  which  accompanied 
or  followed  the  thank-offerings.  But  we  read  of  no  such  cup  in 
Scripture,  and  its  origin  may  probably  be  traced  to  the  rabbinical 
interpretation  of  this  very  passage.  Interpreted  by  Scriptural 
analogies  it  simply  means,  I  will  accept  the  portion  God  allots 
me.  For  this  figurative  use  of  cup,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xi.  6. 
xvi.  5.  The  plural  form,  salvatiom,  denotes  fulness  or  complete- 
ness, as  in  Ps.  xviii.  52  (51.)  liii.  7  (6.)  Take  up,  as  if  from  the 
table  where  the  hand  of  God  has  placed  it ;  or  lift  up,  towards 
heaven,  as  a  gesture  of  acknowledgment. 

14.  My  voivs  to  Jehovah  will  J  pay — in  the  presence  of  all  his 
people.  The  word  noio,  in  the  common  version,  misleads  the 
English  reader,  who  can  scarcely  fail  to  understand  it  as  an  ad- 
verb of  time,  meaning  at  present,  immediately,  without  delay, 
whereas  it  is  the  particle  of  entreaty  (i^")  used  in  Ps.  cxv.  2,  and 
here  employed  to  modify  the  bold  avowal  of  a  purpose,  by  making 
it  dependent  on  divine  permission.  As  if  lie  had  said:  my  vows 
to  Jehovah  I  will  pay — let  me  do  it  in  the  presence  <,!  entreat)  of 
all  his  people.  The  same  meaning  is  attached  by  some  to  the 
augmented  or  paragogic  form  of  the  word  translated  presence,  and 
which  strictly  means  the  front  or  forepart.  Both  these  peculi- 
arities are  reckoned  among  the  indications  of  a  later  age  of  He 
brew  composition. 


I3b'  PSALM    CXVI. 

15.  Precious  in  the,  eyes  of  Jehovah  [is)  the  death  of  his  grcbcioui 
ones  (or  saints.)  The  idea  and  expression  are  borrowed  from 
Ps.  Ixxii.  14,  where  the  same  thing  is  said  of  their  blood.  The 
word  for  death  has  the  same  peculiarity  of  form  as  that  for 
presence  in  v.  14,  and  is  construed  in»  the  same  way  with  the 
preposition  io^  the  death  to  his  saints^  i.  e.  the  death  belongin,i:  to 
them,  which  they  die.  These  are  regarded  by  the  critics  as 
additional  tokens  of  the  age  in  which  the  psalm  was  written. 
The  verse  assigns  the  reason  for  the  preceding  vow,  to  wit,  that 
God  counts  the  death  of  his  people  too  costly  to  be  lightly  or 
gratuitously  suffered. 

16.  Ah  710W  Jehovah — for  I  (am)  thy  servant,  I  (am)  thy  ser^ 
vant,  the  son  of  thy  handmaid  ;  thou  hast  loosed  my  bonds.  The 
expression  of  entreaty  at  the  beginning  has  reference  to  some 
thing  not  expressed,  though  easily  supplied,  namely  permission 
thus  to  testify  his  gratitude.  Ah  now  Loifcd  (suffer  me  thus  to 
do;  for  I  am  thy  servant,  etc.  The  additional  phrase,  son  of 
thy  handmaid,  is  much  stronger  than  thy  servant,  and  describes 
him  as  a  home-born  slave.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  16.  In 
the  last  clause  we  have  another  instance  of  a  preposition  (b)  in- 
terposed between  the  active  verb  and  its  object,  in  a  way  un- 
known to  the  older  Hebrew.  It  is  possible,  however,  to  translate 
the  words,  thou  hast  freed  {?ne)  as  to  (i.  e.  fromj  my  bonds. 

17.  T(7  thee  will  I  sacrifice  a  sacrifice  of  thanhs,  and  on  the 
name  of  Jehovah  will  I  call.     The  sense  is  not,  I  will  offer  thanks 

.  instead  of  an  oblation,'  but  an  oblation  really  expressive  of  thanks- 
giving and  appointed  for  that  purpose. 

IS.  My  vows  to  Jehovah  will  I  pay  in  the  presence  (I  entreat  j 
of  all  his  people.  An  exact  repetition  of  v.  14,  with  all  its  singu< 
larities  of  form. 


PSALM    ex VII.  1-7 

19.  In  the  courts  of  the  house  of  Jehovah^  in  the  midst  of  ihee.^ 
Jerusalem.  HaUchjah  !  This  verse  completes  the  one  before  it, 
and  explains  the  phrase,  before  all  his  'people.  Some  regard  it  as 
A  proof  that  the  psalm  was  composed  after  the  actual  rebuilding 
of  the  temple.  But  in  Ezr.  ii.  68.  iii.  8,  we  find  the  iesigna^ 
lion  house  of  God  applied  to  the  consecrated  site.  The  use  of  the 
woid  courts  is  still  more  natural,  because  it  originally  means  enclos- 
ures^ which  might  be  and  no  doubt  were  defined,  long  before  the 
temple  was  rebuilt.  This  explanation  seems  to  be  confirmed  b^ 
the  addition  of  the  last  clause.  In  the  courts  of  the  Lord's 
house,  that  is,  on  the  consecrated  spot  in  the  midst  of  thee,  oh 
Jerusalem,  the  Holy  City. 


PSALM    CXVII. 

This,  which  is  the  shortest  psalm  in  the  collection,  has  evi- 
dently no  independent  character  or  even  meaning  of  its  own,  but 
was  designed  to  be  a  chorus  or  doxology  to  a  longer  composition. 
Its  position  is  sufficiently  accounted  for  by  the  assumption,  that 
it  was  primarily  meant  to  serve  the  purpose  just  described  with 
reference  to  the  psalm  or  to  the  trilogy  immediately  preceding  ; 
while  its  being  separately  written  as  an  independent  psalm  may 
have  ai-iseu  from  the  purpose  to  use  it  sometimes  in  a  differ- 
ent connection,  with  which  view,  it  would  naturally  be  left  move- 
able, like  the  doxologies  in  our  modern  books,  which  may  be 
attached  to  any  psalm  or  h3"mn,  at  the  discretion  of  the  person 
who  conducts  the  service. 

1 .  Praise  Jeho'^wh.,  all  ye  nations  ;  land  him  all  ye  peoples 


138  PSALM    CXVIII. 

The  last  word  is  a  different  plural  form  from  that  in  Gen.  xxv.  16 
Num.  xxv.  15,  and  belongs  no  doubt  to  the  later  Hebrew.  Hore, 
as  in  Ps.  xlvii.  2  (l.J  Ixvi.  8.  xcviii.  4.  the  whole  world  is  invited 
to  praise  God  for  his  favours  shown  to  Israel. 

2.  For  mighty  over  us  has  hcen  his  mercy ^  and  the  truth  of  Je- 
hovah  (is)  to  eternity.  Hallelujah !  The  verb  at  the  beginning 
means  not  merely  to  be  great,  but  to  be  strong  or  powerful.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  eiii.  11.  The  preposition  over  suggests  the  idea 
of  protection,  or,  if  translated  07i,  that  of  favour  descending  from 
above. 


PSALM     CXYIII. 

After  an  mvitation  to  praise  God  for  his  goodness  to  his 
people,  vs.  1 — 4,  the  occasion  of  this  praise  is  more  particularly 
stated,  namely,  that  he  has  delivered  Israel  from  great  distress,  and 
thereby  proved  himself  worthy  of  their  highest  confidence,  vs. 
5 — 14.  After  another  statement  of  the  favour  just  experienced, 
vs:  15 — 18,  the  people  are  described  as  entering  the  sanctuary, 
there  to  give  thanks  and  implore  the  divine  blessing  on  the 
.enterprise  in  which  they  are  engaged,  vs.  19 — 29.  The  ideal 
speaker,  throughout  the  psalm,  is  Israel,  as  the  Church  or  chosen 
people.  The  deliverance  celebrated  cannot  be  identified  with  any 
one  so  naturally  as  with  that  from  the  Babylonish  exile.  Some,  on 
account  of  supposed  allusions  to  the  temple  as  already  built,  refe-r 
the  psalm  to  the  times  of  Nehemiah.  Others,  with  more  proba- 
bility, though  not  with    absolute  conclusiveness,  infer  from  the 


PSALM    CXVIII  13a 

fcono  of  live!}  joy  and  thankfulness,  porvading  the  whole  composi- 
tion, that  it  was  written  and  originally  sung  soon  after  the  return  ; 
and  from  the  allusions  in  vs.  22,  25,  that  it  has  reference  to  the 
founding  of  the  second  temple,  and  is  the  very  psalm,  or  one  of 
the  psalms,  mentioned  in  the  history,  Ezra  iii.  10,  11,  where  ita 
first  and  last  words  are  recited.  The  mention  of  David  in  that 
passage  is  accounted  for  by  the  assumption  that  this  psalm  was 
sung  only  as  a  part  of  the  whole  series,  which  opens  with  a 
Davidic  trilogy,  Ps.  cviii — ex. 

1.  Give  thanks  u7ito  Jehovah^  for  {he  is)  good^  for  unto 
Uernity  (is)  his  mercy.  The  opening  formula  is  common  to  this 
psalm  with  Ps.  cvi  and  cvii.  Its  elements  are  also  found, 
combined  with  others,  in  Ps.  c.  4,  5.  With  the  second  member 
of  tne  tsentence  compare  Ps.  xxv.  8.  Ixxiii.  1. 

2.  Oh  that  Israel  icoulcl  say — for  unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercy. 
Thb  ^r.st  sUute-e  cf  this  translation  is  a  paraphrase  of  the  original, 
to  which  the  Darticle  of  entreaty  (54^  gives  a  strong  optative 
meaning.  Kerc,  as  'n  Ps-  cxv:.  14,  18,  the  common  version 
(now)  is  equivocal.  That  versioa  also  has  ^hat  instead  oi  for.  in 
the  last  clause  of  this  and  the  two  next  verses.  This  translation 
is  perfectly  grammatical,  and  makes  the  sentence  more  complete 
in  itself.  But  besides  that  it  breaks  the  studied  uniformity  of  the 
context  by  varying  the  version  of  the  particle  ("^rj),  the  depen- 
dence of  the  clause  on  the  preceding  verse,  required  and  denoted 
by  the  use  of  the  word  /or,  is  really  essential  to  the  writer's 
object.  It  is  as  if  he  had  said:  the  reason  for  thus  urgin^<^ 
man  to  praise  Jehovah  is  because  his  mercy  endureth  forever, 
and  oh  that  Israel  would  join  in  affirming  this  reason.  Oh  thai 
Israel  would  say  (1  will  give  thanks)  for  his  mercy  enduretk 
forever. 

3.  4     Oh  that  the  house  of  Aaron  would  say — \for  unto  eterm\ 


140  PSALM    CXVIIl. 

(is)  it,k  mercy.''  Oh  that  the  fearers  of  Jehovah  would  say — '/.ir 
unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercy.''  The  succession  of  Israel,  the  house 
of  Aaron,  and  the  fearers  of  Jehovah,  in  this  and  the  following 
verses,  is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  cxv,  9 — 11.  This  and  the  trine 
repetitions  in  vs.  10 — 12,  15 — 16,  compared  with  that  in  Ps. 
cxv.  12 — 13,  are  corroborations  of  the  assumed  affinity  between 
tne  psalms  of  this  whole  series,  both  in  origin  and  purpose. 

5.  Out  of  anguish  I  invoked  Jah ;  heard  me  in  a  ivide  place 
Jah.  The  first  noun  is  a  rare  one,  common  to  this  place  and  Ps. 
cxvi.  3,  another  indication  of  affinity.  Heard.^  in  the  pregnant 
sense  of  heard  favourably,  heard  and  answered.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxii.  22  (21.)  As  the  word  translated  anguish  originally 
means  pressure,  confinement,  the  appropriate  figure  for  relief  from 
it  is  a  wide  room,  ample  space,  enlargement.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
iv.  2  (1.)  To  answer  in  a  wide  place  is  to  grant  his  prayer  by 
bringing  him  forth  into  such  a  place. 

6.  Jehovah  (is)  for  me  ;  I  will  not  fear  ;  what  can  man  do  to 
me  ?  Instead  oi  for  me^  i.  e.  in  my  favour,  on  my  side,  the 
Hebrew  {^'^\  may  also  be  translated  to  me.,  i.  e.  is  or  belongs  to 
me,  is  mine.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  5,  10,  12  (4,9,  11.)  Man 
does  not  here  mean  a  man.,  but  ?)ianki7id,  or  Man  as  opposed  te 
God. 

7.  Jehovah  is  for  me.,  among  my  helpers.,  and  I  shall  look  upon 
my  haters.  Here  again,  the  first  clause  may  be  rendered,  Jehovah 
is  to  m,e  (or  I  have  Jehovah)  among  or  with  my  helpers.  With 
this  last  expression  compare  Ps.  xlv.  10  (9.)  xcix.  6.  The 
construction  in  the  last  clause  is  the  idiomatic  one  meaning  to  see 
with  joy  or  triumph,  or  to  see  their  punishment  r.nd  subjugation. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  liv.  9  (7),  and  with  the  whole  verse  compare 
Ps.  liv.   6  (4.)      As  the  ideal  speaker  is  the  ancient  church  or 


PSALM    CXVIII 


U\ 


chosen  people,  the  haters  or  enemies  here  n.eant  are  primarii;f 
heathen  persecutors  and  oppressors. 

8.  li  is  good  to  confide  in  Jehovah  (more)  than  to  trust  in  man. 
This  and  the  next  verse  affirm  clearly  and  fully  what  is  moro 
obscurely  intimated  in  Ps.  cxvi.  11.  As  the  Hebrew  has  no 
distinct  form  of  comparison,  this  is  the  nearest  possible  approach 
to  saying,  it  is  better.  Than.,  literally //•o;;i,  away  from.,  implyinp; 
diifarence,  and  then  comparison,  but  not  expressing  it.  The  verb 
confide  is  the  expressive  one  oi-iginally  meaning  to  take  refuge  or 
find  shelter.      See  above,  on  Ps.  ii  :   12. 

9.  It  is  good  to  confide,  in  Jehovah  (more)  than  to  trust  in  noUes 
This  merely  strengthens  the  foregoing  declaration,  by  rendering  it 
fliore  specific  and  emphatic.  The  Lord  is  more  to  be  confided  in, 
Dot  merely  than  the  mass  of  men,  but  tiian  their  chiefs.  Nobler 
is  a  better  translation  than  princes^  because  it  keeps  up  the  asso- 
ciation with  the  adjective  sense  noble.,  generous,  liberal,  spontane- 
ous, which  is  otherwise  lost  sight  of.  See  above,  on  Ps.  li.  14  (12  ) 
Even  the  Persian  patrons  and  protectors  of  the  Jews  had  not 
entirely  deserved  their  confidence  ;  nor  at  all,  in  comparison 
^ith  Jehovah  their  covenanted  God. 

10.  All  the  nations  surround  me  ;  in  the  name  of  Jehovah — that 
I  tvill  cut  them  off.  The  hyperbolical  expression,  all  the  nations. 
is  less  strange  than  it  might  otherwise  appear  because  (5'^ia) 
nations  had  now  begun  to  be  familiarly  applied  to  the  gentiles  ov 
heathen,  not  as  organized  bodies  merely,  but  as  individuals, 
especially  when  numerous.  There  is  nothing  unnatural,  there- 
fore, in  the  use  of  this  expression  to  describe  the  heathen  adver- 
saries of  the  Jews  at  the  period  of  the  Restoration,  not  excepting 
the  Samaritans,  who,  though  they  claimed  to  be  a  mixed  race, 
were  really  heathen,  both  in  origin  and  character.  Anothei' 
way  in  which  the  hyperbole  may  be  explained,  or  rather  don:- 


142  PSALM    CX VIII. 

away,  is  by  supposing  the  fii-st  clause  to  be  substantially  al- 
though not  formally  conditional.  Should  all  nations  (or  though 
all  nations  should)  surround  me.  The  strongest  sense  may 
then  be  put  upon  the  words  all  nations^  as  the  act  ascribed 
to  them  is  merely  hypothetical.  The  construction  of  the  last 
clause  is  unusual  and  doubtful.  Some  arbitrarily  make  the 
'^3  a  particle  of  affirmation,  yea,  yes,  verily,  etc.  Others  gain 
the  same  sense  by  explaining  the  whole  phrase  to  mean,  (it 
is  true,  or  it  is  certain)  that  I  ivill  cut  them  off.  The  same  use 
of  the  particle  is  thought  to  be  exemplified  in  Isai.  vii.  9.  Per- 
haps the  best  solution  is  the  one  afi"orded  by  the  Hebrew  usage  of 
suppressing  the  principal  verb  in  oaths  or  solemn  affirmations. 
If  this  may  be  omitted  even  when  there  is  nothing  to  denote  the 
character  of  the  cxp-ression,  and  when  the  form  of  the  expression 
itself  is  liabh  to  misconstruction,  as  for  instance  in  the  formula  with 
i/",  much  more  may  it  be  omitted  where  the  sense  of  the  expression 
is  quite  clear,  and  itsjuratoiy  or  imprecatory  character  denoted  by 
accompanying  words.  The  sense  will  then  be,  in  the  name  of  Je- 
hovah (I  swear  or  solemnly  affirm)  that  I  ivill  cut  them  off.  Th.s 
last  verb  always  means  to  cut,  and  except  in  Ps.  xc.  6,  where  one 
of  its  derived  forms  is  used,  to  circumcise.  It  was  here  used,  as  some 
suppose,  to  suggest  that  the  uncircumcised  enemies  of  Israel,  as  they 
are  often  called,  should  be  cut  or  cut  off  in  another  sense.  Com- 
pare the  play  upon  the  corresponding  Greek  words  in  Phil.  iii.  2,  3. 

11.  They  surround  me.,  yea  they  surround  me  ;  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah  (I  declare)  that  I  will  cut  them  off\  The  same  sentence 
.is  repeated  with  a  slight  variation,  which  consists  in  the  omission 
of  the  subject  and  the  iteration  of  the  verb,  rendered  more  em- 
phatic by  a  change  of  form.  The  word  translated  yea  means 
fl/so,  likewise^  but  cannot  be  so  used  in  the  English  idiom.  The 
climax  indicated  may  be,  that  the  act  described  is  no  longer 
hypothetical  but  actual.  They  surround  me,  yes,  they  really,  in 
fact,  surround  me. 


PSALM    ex VIII.  14;^ 

12  7%6*2/  surroimd  me  like  hees  ;  they  are  quenched  as  a  fire  of 
thorns  ;  in  the  name  of  Jehovah  (I  declare)  that  I  will  cut  them 
>'ff.  This  coiiiplutesthe  trine  repetition  so  cliaracteristic  of  tliese 
pj^alms.  The  point  of  comparison  with  bees  is  their  swarmins; 
Uiultitude  and  irritating  stings.  Compare  Deut.  i.  44.  Ihat 
mi\\  thorns  is  the  rapidity  and  ease  with  which  they  are  both 
kindled  and  extinguished.     See.above,  on  Ps.  Iviii.  10  (9.) 

13.  Thou  didst  thrust^  thrust  at  we,  to  (make  me)  fall^  avo 
Jehovah  helped  me.  By  a  lively  apostrophe,  the  enemy  is  her< 
addressed  directl3\  that  is,  the  hostile  heathen  power,  from  whose 
oppressions  Israel  had  just  been  rescued.  See  above,  on  v.  7. 
The  verb  to  thrust  or  strike  at  is  the  root  of  the  noun  translated 
falling  in  Ps.  Ivi.  14  (13.)  cxvi.  8. 

14.  My  strength  and  song  (is)  Jah,  and  he  has  hecov^'  my  saU 
nation.  These  words  are  from  Ex.  xv.  2.  The  first  ckuse  is 
also  borrowed  by  Isaiah  (xii.  2.)  My  strength  and  so'^g.,  my 
protection  or  deliverer,  and  as  such  the  object  of  my  praise. 
Become  my  salvation^  literally,  has  been  to  me  for  salvation,  a 
stronger  though  synonymous  expression  for  my  saviour. 

55.  The  voice  of  joy  and  salvation  in  the  tents  of  the  righteous — 
the  right  hand  of  Jehovah  has  made  strength.  The  word  trans- 
lated joy  means  properly  the  audible  expression  of  it  by  shout  or 
song,  and  is  sometimes  applied  even  to  a  cry  of  distress.  Com 
pare  Ps.  xxx.  6  (5.)  xlii.  5  (4.)  xlvii.  2  (i)  with  Ps.  xvii.  l.lxi 
2  (1.)  Joy  and  salvation  are  related  as  cause  and  effect,  joy  oc- 
casioned by  salvation.  Tenfs,  a  poetical  expression  for  dwellings. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xci.  10.  The  righteous,  the  true  Israel,  the 
people  of  God,  as  such  considered.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiii.  I. 
The  substantive  verb  (is)  may  be  supplied  in  this  verse,  so  as  to 
make  it  a  complete  proposition  5  or  it  may  be  a  kind  of  exclama- 
tion, as  if  he  had  said,  Hark  !  the  voice  of  joy,  etc     Compare 


144  PSALM    CXVIII. 

Isai.  xl.  3,  6.  The  last  clauss  may  thf  u  be  understood  as  con- 
tiiining  the  words  uttered  by  the  voicf.  The  idiomatic  phrase 
at  the  end  may  either  mean  that  Grod  ifas  acquired  or  exerted 
strength.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ix.  14  (12.)  cviii.  14. 

16.  The.  right  hand  of  Jehovah  is  raised,  the  right  hand  of  Je- 
hovah makes  strength.  This,  .with  the  last  clause  of  v.  15, 
makes  another  of  the  triplets  or  trine  repetitions,  which  are 
characteristic  of  these  psalms.  See  above,  on  vs.  2 — 4,  10 — 12. 
Instead  of  is  raised  some  read  raises  or  exalts,  which  is  equall^f 
grammatical,  as  the  active  and  passive  forms  in  this  case  are  co- 
incident. The  meaning  then  is,  that  his  right  hand  raises  or 
exalts  his  people,  as  the  other  clause  says  that  his  right  hand 
gains  or  exercises  strength  in  their  behalf.  It  seems  more  na- 
tural, however,  to  explain  it  as  an  instance  of  a  common  figure 
which  describes  God's  hand  as  raised,  when  he  exerts  his  power 

17.  J  shall  not  die  but  live,  and  recount  the  works  of  Jah.  The 
existence  thus  to  be  preserved  is  that  of  Israel,  and  the  last  clause 
describes  the  final  cause  of  that  existence,  which  is  here  stated  as 
a  ground  of  confidence,  and  is  elsewhere  urged  as  an  argument 
in  prayer.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxv.  17.  cxvi.  9,  15,  and  compare 
Ps.  Ixxi.  20.  The  original  construction  of  the  first  clause  is,  1 
ihall  not  die,  for  I  shall  live. 

IS.  Sorely  has  Jah  chastened  me,  but  to  death  did  not  give  me. 
This  verse,  though  simple  in  its  structure  and  transparent  in  its 
.  meaning,  is  highly  idiomatic  in  its  form.  The  adverb  used  in 
the  translation  represents  the  emphatic  repetition  of  tne  verb  in 
Hebrew,  which  is  sometimes  imitated  in  the  English  Bible 
{chastening  has  Jah  chastened  me),  but  seldom  so  as  to  convey  the 
whole  idea.  Of  such  a  repetition  we  have  had  an  instance  in  v.  13. 
Aaother  unavoidable  departure  from  the  original  form  consists 
in  using  but  for  and,  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  clause.     Did 


PSALM    ex  VI II.  145 

not  give,  give  up,  give  over  or  abandon  Tlie  chafetisement  here 
mentioned  must  be  the  calamity  from  which  the  people  had 
been  recently  delivered,  and  in  which  we  have  already  seen  good 
grounds  to  recognize  the  Babylonish  conquest,  domination  and 
captivity. 

19.  Open  ye  to  me  the  gate?,  of  righteousness^  I  ivill  come  in  hy 
them,  I  will  thank  Jah.  This  may  have  been  intended  to  ac- 
company the  entrance  of  the  priests  and  people  into  the  sacred 
enclosure,  for  the  purpose  of  laying  the  foundation  of  the  temple, 
as  when  David  pitched  the  tabernacle  on  Mount  Zion.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xxiv, 

20.  This  {is)  the  gate  (that  belongs)  to  Jehovah  ;  the  righteous 
shall  co7ne  in  by  it.  Or  the  meaning  may  be,  since  this  is  the 
Lord's  gate,  let  the  righteous  (and  no  others)  enter  at  it.  Many 
interpreters  find  obvious  indications  here  of  double  or  responsive 
choirs,  by  which  the  psalm  was  to  be  sung.  But  this,  though 
possible,  is  not  a  necessary  supposition,  nor  is  there  any  certain 
trace  of  such  a  usage  or  arrangement  elsewhere  in  the  book  of 
Psalms.     See  above,  vol.  i.  pp.  19S,  200,  203. 

21.  I  will  thank  thee,  for  thou  hast  ansiocred  me,  and  hast  be- 
come  my  salvation.  This  verse  assigns  the  reason  for  their 
entrance.  Answered,  in  the  specific  sense  of  answering  or  grant- 
ing prayer.     See  above,  on  v.  5.     The  last  clause  is  from  v.  14. 

22.  The  stone  (whichj  the  builders  rejected  has  become  the  head 
of  the  corner.  This  is  a  proverbial  expression,  and  as  such  ap- 
plicable to  any  case,  in  which  what  seemed  to  be  contemptible 
has  come  to  honour.  This  mode  of  expressing  the  idea  was 
most  probably  suggested  by  the  founding  of  the  temple.  There 
IS  no  need,  however,  of  supposing  any  actual  dispute  among  the 
Jewish  builders  in  relation  to  the  corner  stone  of  the  sacred  edi- 

VOL.    III.  7 


146  '  PSALM    C  XVI II. 

fice.  The  sight  of  the  stone,  or  the  act  of  laying  it,  would  b(5 
Fufficient  to  suggest  the  proverb  and  its  application  to  the  happy 
change  experienced  by  Israel,  so  lately  blotted  from  the  list  of 
nations,  and  regarded  by  the  heathen  as  unwoithy  even  of  a.n 
humble  place  in  the  proud  fabric  of  consolidated  empire,  but  now 
restored  not  only  to  a  place  but  to  the  highest  place  among  the 
nations,  not  in  point  of  power,  wealth,  or  worldly  glory,  but  as 
the  chosen  and  peculiar  people  of  the  Most  High  God.  As  this 
psalm  was  sung  by  the  people  at  the  last  Jewish  festival  attended 
by  our  Saviour,  he  applied  this  proverb  to  himself,  as  one  reject('(l 
by  the  Jews  and  by  their  rulers,  yet  before  long  to  bo  recognized 
as  their  Messiah  whom  they  had  denied  and  murdered,  but  whom 
God  had  exalted  as  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  to  give  repentance 
to  Israel  and  remission  of  sins  (iVcts  v.  31.)  This,  though  really 
another  application  of  the  proverb  in  its  general  meaning,  has  a 
certain  affinity  with  its  original  application  in  the  verse  before  us, 
because  the  fortunes  of  the  ancient  Israel,  especially  in  reference 
to  great  conjunctures,  bore  a  designed  resemblance  to  the  history 
of  Christ  himself,  by  a  kind  of  sympathy  between  the  Body  and  the 
Head.  Even  the  temple,  which  suggested  the  original  expression, 
did  but  teach  the  doctrine  of  divine  inhabitation,  and  was  therefore 
superseded  by  the  advent  of  the  Son  himself.  The  head  of  tht 
corner  means  the  chief  or  corner  stone  of  the  foundation,  even  in 
Zech.  iv.  7,  where  it  is  translated /zmrZ-^^o/ie.  The  application  of 
the  verse  before  us  made  by  Christ  himself  (Matt.  xxi.  42)  is  re- 
newed by  Peter  (x\cts  iv.  11.) 

23.  From  Jehovah  is  this  ;  it  is  wonderfully  doTie  in  our  eyes. 
This  signal  revolution  in  the  condition  of  the  chosen  people  is  not 
the  work  of  man  but  of  God.  From  the  Lord^  i.  e.  proceeding 
from  him  as  its  author.  Is  this^  literally,  has  been,  i.  e.  happened, 
come  to  pass.  In  the  last  clause  it  is  said  to  be  not  merely  won- 
derful^ but  wo'tider fully  done,  the  Hebrew  word  being  a  passive 
participle,  which    strictly  means  distinguished,   made    tc    differ, 


PSALM    CXVIII.  J  ,7 

made  strange,  strangely  done.  Its  plural  is  continually  ased  as  a 
noun  in  application  to  God's  wondrous  works  or  doings.  This,  no 
less  than  the  proverb  to  which  it  is  attached,  was  as  appropriate 
to  the  case  of  the  Messiah  as  to  that  of  his  people,  and  is  accord- 
ingly applied  in  the  same  manner  by  himself  (Matt.  xxi.  42.) 

24.  This  is  the  day  Jehovah  has  made^  we  will  rejoice  and  Iri* 
uviph  in  it.  By  the  day  we  are  here  to  understand  the  happief 
times  which  Israel,  through  God's  grace,  was  permitted  to  enjoy. 
This  day  he  is  said,  as  the  author  of  this  blessed  revolution,  to 
have  made,  created.  Some  understand  by  day  the  festival  or 
celebration,  at  which  the  psalm  was  intended  to  be  sung.  The 
day,  in  this  sense,  God  is  said  to  have  made  or  instituted,  not  so 
much  by  positive  appointment  as  by  having  providentially  afforded 
the  occasion  for  it.  In  a  still  higher  sense,  the  words  may  be  ap- 
plied to  the  new  dispensation,  as  a  glorious  change  in  the  condi- 
tion of  the  church,  compared  with  which  the  restoration  from 
captivity  was  nothing,  except  as  a  preliminary  to  it  and  a  prepa- 
ration for  it.  There  is  no  allusion,  to  the  weekly  Sabbath,  except 
so  far  as  it  was  meant  to  be  a  type  of  the  rest  of  the  church  from 
the  heavy  burdens  of  the  old  dispensation. 

25.  Ah  noiu^  Jehovah.,  save.,  toe  leseech  thee  !  Ah  now^  Jehovah., 
prosper^  we  beseech  thee!  The  circumlocution, -w^e  beseech  thee,  ia 
the  only  form  in  which  the  force  of  the  supplicatory  particle  (&t]) 
can  be  expressed,  without  the  risk  of  its  being  misiaKeu  for  an  ad- 
verb of  time.  The  whole  phrase  ms  n^^^'iiJin),  save  we  pray,  be- 
came a  standing  formula  of  supplication  with  reference  to  great 
public  interests  or  undertakings,  and  reappears  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment under  the  form  Hosanna.  See  Matt.  xxi.  9,  where  wo  find 
it,  in  the  acclamations  of  the  multitude,  combined  with  other  ex- 
pressions from  this  same  psalm  which,  as  we  have  seen,  they  were 
accustomed  to  sing  at  their  great  festivals.     See  above,  on  v.  22. 


14S  PSALM    CX VI II. 

26.  Bless-zd  he  he  that  cometh  in  the  7iame  of  Jehovah  .  We  blesi 
tjou  from  the  house  of  Jehovah.  According  to  the  accents,  the 
construction  of  the  first  clause  is,  Messed^  in  the  name  of  Jehovah^ 
be  he  that  cometh.  This  agrees  exactly  with  the  frequent  mention 
of  blessing  in  the  name  of  Jehovah.  See  below,  Ps.  cxxix.  8,  and 
compare  Num.  vi.  27.  Deut.  xxi.  5.  2  Sam.  vi.  IS.  He  that 
cometh  is  commonly  and  not  improbably  supposed  to  have  meant 
primarily  the  people  or  their  representatives,  to  whom,  as  they 
approached  the  sacred  spot,  these  words  were  to  be  uttered. 
There  were  other  thoughts,  however,  which  the  words  could 
hardly  fail  to  suggest,  for  example  that  of  Israel  corning  back 
from  exile,  that  of  God  coming  back  to  his  forsaken  people,  and 
at  least  in  the  most  enlightened  minds,  that  of  the  great  Deliverer, 
to  whose  coming  all  the  rest  was  but  preparatory,  to  whom  the 
name  i^an  or  o  ig^duevog  was  afterwards  given  as  a  standing  ap- 
pellation, in  allusion  either  to  this  passage  or  to  Mai.  iii.  l,orto 
both,  and  to  whom  this  very  sentence  was  applied  by  the  multitude 
who  witnessed  and  attended  Christ's  triumphal  entrance  into  the 
Holy  City.     See  Matt.  xxi.  9. 

27.  Mighty  (is)  Jehovah  and  hath  given  light  to  us.  Bind  the 
saci'ifice  icith  cords  as  far  as  the  horns  of  the  altar.  The  first 
word  does  not  express  the  general  idea  of  divinity,  but  that  of 
divine  power,  which  is  no  doubt  essential  to  the  writer's  purpose. 
It  was  the  power  of  Jehovah  which  had  turned  the  night  of 
Israel  to  day,  and  illumined  the  darkness  of  their  sore  distress 
with  the  light  of  his  returning  favour.  The  figure  is  borrowed 
from  the  pillar  of  fire,  the  token  of  Jehovah's  presence  with  his 
people  in  the  wilderness.  See  Ex.  xiii.  21.  xiv.  20.  Neh.  ix.  12. 
The  last  clause  has  been  the  subject  of  a  good  deal  of  dispute. 
It  is  commonly  admitted  that  (3n)  a  HebreAV  word,  which  pro- 
perly denotes  a  periodical  or  stated  festival,  is  here  put  for  the 
victi'.n  offered  at  it,  as  in  Ex.  xxiii.  IS  the  fat  of  my  sacrifice  is 
in  Hebrew  the  fat  of  my  festival  (^3n),  and  in  2  Chron.  xxx.  22, 


PSALM    C  XVII  I.  149 

anotlier  word  for  festival  (n?i>3)  is  used  in  precisely  the  same 
way.  being  governed  by  the  verb  to  eat^  although  this  singular 
expression  is  avoided  in  the  English  Bible,  by  the  use  of 
die  word  "  throughout."  Those  who  agree  in  this,  however, 
are  at  variance  in  relation  to  the  act  required.  As  the 
word  translated  cords  is  sometimes  applied  to  the  thick  boughs  or 
branches  of  a  tree  (Ez.  xix.  11.  xxxi.  3,  10,  14),  some  undor- 
slaud  the  sense  to  be,  Bind  the  sacrifice  with  branches,  sacrificial 
wreaths.  But  this  practice,  and  the  meaning  put  upon  the  He- 
brew word,  are  both  denied  by  others  who  allege  moreover  the 
repeated  combination  of  the  same  verb  and  noun  in  the  sense  of 
tying,  making  fast,  with  cords.  See  Judg.  xv.  13.  xvi.  11.  Ez. 
iii.  25.  The  English  Bible  makes  the  clause  refer  to  the  fasten- 
ing of  the  victim  to  the  altar.  To  this  it  is  objected  that  the  prepo- 
sition (i3>)  means  as  far  as,  and  implies  a  verb  of  motion, 
expressed  or  understood.  To  avoid  this  difficulty,  some  of  the 
latest  writers  understand  the  words  to  signify  the  conducting  of 
the  victim  bound  until  it  reaches  the  altar  as  the  place  of  sacrifice. 
Hold  fast  the  sacrifice  with  cords,  until  it  comes  to  the  horns  of 
the  altar,  poetically  put  for  the  altar  itself,  not  only  as  its  promi- 
nent or  salient  poins,  but  as  the  parts  to  which  the  blood,  the 
essential  vehicle  of  expiation,  was  applied.  Thus  understood  the 
clause  is  merely  an  invitation  to  fulfill  the  vow  recorded  in  Ps 
cxvi.  14,  17,  18 

28.  My  God  art  thou^  and  I  will  thank  thee  ;  my  God^  I  toill 
exalt  thee.  The  Hebrew  words  for  God  are  not  the  same.  The 
second  is  that  commonly  so  rendered,  while  the  first  is  that  used 
in  V.  27,  and  denoting  the  divine  omnipotence. 

29  Give  thanks  unto  Jehovah^  for  {He  is)  good,  for  unto 
eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  In  these  words  we  are  brought  back  to  the 
point  from  which  we  started,  and  the  circle  of  praise  returns  into 
itself. 


J5E  PSALM    CXIX 


PSALM      C  X  I  X 

There  is  no  psalm  in  the  whole  collection  which  has  more  the 
appearance  of  liaving  been  exclusively  designed  for  practical  and 
personal  improvement,  without  any  reference  to  national  or  even 
to  ecclesiastical  relations,  than  the  one  before  us,  which  is  wholly 
occupied  with  praises  of  Grod's  word  or  written  revelation,  as  the 
only  source  of  spiritual  strength  and  comfort,  and  with  prayers 
for  grace  to  make  a  profitable  use  of  it.  The  prominence  of  this 
one  theme  is  sufficiently  apparent  from  the  fact,  to  which  the  Masora 
directs  attention,  that  there  is  only  one  verse  which  does  not  contain 
gome  title  or  description  of  the  word  of  God.  But  notwithstanding 
this  peculiar  character,  the  position  of  the  psalm  in  the  collection, 
and  especially  its  juxtaposition  with  respect  to  Ps.  cviii — cxviii, 
its  kindred  tone  of  mingled  gratitude  and  sadness,  and  a  great 
variety  of  minor  verbal  correspondences,  have  led  some  of  the 
best  interpreters  to  look  upon  it  as  the  conclusion  of  the  whole 
series  or  system  of  psalms,  supposed  to  have  been  written  for  the 
use  of  the  returned  Jews,  at  or  near  the  time  of  the  founding  of 
the  second  temple.  The  opinion,  held  by  some  of  the  same 
writers,  that  the  ideal  speaker,  throughout  this  psalm,  is  Israel, 
considered  as  the  church  or  chosen  people,  will  never  commend 
itself  as  natwal  or  likely  to  the  mass  of  readers,  and  is  scai'cely 
consistent  with  such  passages  as  vs.  63,  74,  79,  and  others,  where 
the  speaker  expressly  distinguishes  himself  as  an  individual  from 
the  body  of  the  people.  The  same  difficulty,  in  a  less  degree, 
attends  the  national  interpretation  of    the    psalms  immediately 


PSALM    CXIX.  151 

preceding.  Perhaps  the  best  mode  of  reconciling  the  two  views 
is  by  supposing  that  this  psalm  was  intended  as  a  manual  of  pious 
and  instructive  thoughts,  designed  for  popular  improvement  and 
especially  for  that  of  the  younger  generation  after  the  return  from 
exile,  and  that  the  person  speaking  is  the  individual  believer,  not 
as  an  isolated  personality,  but  as  a  member  of  the  general  body, 
with  which  he  identifies  himself  so  far,  that  many  expressions  of 
the  psalm  are  strictly  applicable  only  to  the  whole  as  such  consid- 
ered, while  others  are  appropriate  only  to  certain  persons  or  to 
certain  classes  in  the  ancient  Israel.  To  this  design  of  popular 
instruction,  and  especially  to  that  of  constant  repetition  and 
reflection,  the  psalm  is  admirably  suited  by  its  foim  and  structure. 
The  alphabetical  arrangement,  of  which  it  is  at  once  the  most  ex- 
tended and  most  perfect  specimen,  and  the  aphoristic  character, 
common  to  all  alphabetic  psalms,  are  both  adapted  to  assist  the 
memory,  as  well  as  to  give  point  to  the  immediate  impression. 
It  follows,  of  course,  that  the  psalm  was  rather  meant  to  be  a 
store-house  of  materials  for  pious  meditation  than  a  discourse  for 
continuous  perusal.  At  the  same  time,  the  fact  of  its  existence 
in  the  Psalter  is  presumptive  proof  that  it  was  used  in  public 
worship,  cither  as  a  whole,  or  in  one  or  more  of  the  twenty-two 
stanzas  into  which  it  is  divided,  corresponding  to  the  lettei-s  of  the 
Hebrew  alphabet,  all  the  eight  verses  of  each  paragraph  begin- 
ning with  the  same  Hebrew  letter. 

1.  Happy  the  perfect  of  way,  i.  e.  blameless  in  their  course  of 
life,  i/iosc  walking  in  the  law  of  Jehovah.  There  seems  to  be 
allusion  to  the  precept  in  Lev.  xviii.  4.  The  common  version 
of  the  second  Hebrew  word  {unde filed)  is  derived  from  the 
Yulgate  (immaculati) ,  which  is  itself  too  confined  a  version  of  the 
Septuagint  (^dlfjbif/oi.)  The  essential  idea  is  that  of  complete- 
ness or  perfection.  The  form  and  construction  of  the  first  word 
are  the  same  as  in  Ps.  i.  1. 


152  PSALM    CXIX 

2.  Happy  the  keepers  of  his  testimonies  (who)  with  a  whvlt 
heart  seek  him.  Keepers^  observers,  those  obeying.  Testimoiiies , 
the  divine  precepts,  which  bear  witness  against  sin  and  in  behalf 
of  holiness.  With  all  the  hearty  undivided  affection.  See  above, 
Ps.  cxi.  1,  and  compare  2  Kings  xxiii.  3.  Seek  him ^  the  know- 
ledge of  his  will  and  the  enjoyment  of  his  favour. 

3.  (Who)  also  do  not  practise  wrong,  (but)  in  his  ways  walk. 
This  verse  both  limits  and  completes  the  one  before  it,  by  showing 
that  no  zeal  in  seeking  God  can  be  acceptable,  if  coupled  with  a 
wicked  life.  In  his  ways,  not  in  those  of  his  enemies,  nor  even 
in  their  own. 

4.  Thou  hast  commanded  thy  precepts,  to  he  kept  strictly. 
Commanded,  given  them  in  charge,  entrusted  others  with  them. 
The  literal  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is,  to  keep  very  {much),  i.  e. 
not  formally  or  superficially,  but  really  and  thoroughly.  Compare 
the  use  of  (n'&^T?)  as  a  noun  in  Deut.  vi.  5. 

5.  Oh  that  my  ways  were  settled,  to  observe  thy  statutes  !  The 
optative  particle  at  the  beginning  occurs  only  here  and,  with  a 
slight  difference  of  pointing,  2  Kings  v.  3.  My  ways,  my  cus- 
tomary modes  of  acting,  my  habits.  Settled,  fixed,  confirmed, 
established,  in  opposition  to  capricious  vacillation  and  unsteadi- 
ness. To  observe,  to  watch,  for  the  purpose  of  obeying.  The 
word  translated  statutes,  according  to  its  etymology,  means  definite 
and  permanent  enactments. 

6  Then  shaF  I  not  he  shamed,  in  my  looking  unto  all  thy 
,,ommand7nents.  The  then  at  the  beginning  has  respect  to  the 
time  mentioned  in  the  last  clause.  Shamed,  put  to  shame, 
defeated,  frustrated,  disappointed  in  one's  highest  hopes.  In  my 
looking  suggests  the  idea  both  of  time  and  of  causation,  when  1 
look  and  because  I  look.     The  act  itself  is  that  of  looking  towards 


PSALM    CXIX.  153 

a  mark  to  hi  attained,  or  towards  a  model,  rule,  or  standard,  to  bo 
followed  and  conformed  to. 


7.  1  vnll  thank  thee  with  rectitude  of  hearty  in  my  learning  the 
judgments  of  thy  righteousness.  It  is  only  my  experience  of  thy 
righteous  judgments  that  enables  me  to  praise  thee  as  I  ought ; 
a  sentiment  peculiaily  appropriate  to  the  period  of  some  great 
deliverance,  for  instance  that  of  the  return  from  exile,  when  the 
righteousness  of,  God  had  been  so  signally  displayed  in  the 
destruction  of  his  enemies,  and  in  the  fulfilment  of  his  promise  to 
his  people  Here  again,  in  my  harmng  does  not  mean  merely 
after  1  have  learned^  but  in  the  very  act  and  in  consequence  oi 
learning. 

8.  Thy  statutes  I  will  hcep  ;  oh  forsake  me  not  utterly.  The 
fixed  resolution  to  obey  is  intimately  blended  with  a  consciousness 
of  incapacity  to  do  so,  unless  aided  by  divine  grace.  Utterly^ 
unto  extremity  or  still  more  literally,  until  very  {much.)  The 
initial  words  of  this  first  stanza  are  all  different,  except  that  vs. 
1,  2,  both  begin  with  (i^ni;:)  hapjiintss  or  hap'py. 


9.  By  what  (means)  can  a  youth  cleanse  his  path^  (so)  as  to 
keep  (it)  according  to  thy  vwrd  ?  To  cleanse  is  here  to  keep  clean 
or  pure  from  the  stain  of  sin.  Most  interpreters  regard  the  last 
clause  as  an  answer  to  the  question  in  the  first.  But  this 
requires  the  infinitive  to  be  construed  as  a  gerund  {hj  keeping), 
a  construction  too  rare  and  doubtful  to  be  anywhere  assumed 
without  necessity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  18.  cxi.  6.  It 
is  much  more  simple  and  agreeable  to  usage  to  regard  the  whole 
as  one  interrogation,  and  the  second  clause  as  supplementary  to 
the  first.  To  keep  may  then  mean  to  adhere  to  it.,  or  rather,  in 
accordance  with  the  figure  of  the  first  clause,  to  preserve  it  clear 
or  pure  as  Grod  requires.  The  answer  is  suppressed,  or-  rathei 
icft  to  be  inferred  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  psalm,  which  is, 
7* 


l54  PSALM    CXIX. 

that  men,  and  especially  the  young,  whose  passions  and  tempta- 
itions  are  strong  in  proportion  to  their  inexperience,  can  do 
nothing  of  themselves  but  are  dependent  on  the  grace  of  God 
The  omission  of  an  answer,  which  is  thus  suggested  by  the  whole 
psalm,  rather  strengthens  than  impairs  the  impression  on  the 
reader. 

1 0.  With  my  whole  heart  have  I  sought  thee  ;  let  vie  not  err 
from  thy  commandments.  While  the  first  clause  alleges  his 
sincerity  in  seeking  God,  the  second  and  third  owns  his  depend- 
ence on  him  for  success  and  safety. 

11.  In  my  heart  have  I  hid  thy  sayings  that  I  may  not  sin 
against  thee.  The  first  phrase  means  within  me.,  as  opposed  to  a 
mere  outward  and  corporeal  possession  of  the  written  word.  Not 
in  my  house,  or  in  my  hand,  but  in  myself,  my  mind,  with  special 
reference,  in  this  case,  to  the  memory.  Hid.,  not  for  conceal- 
ment, but  for  preservation.  The  word  saying.,  elsewhere  used  to 
signify  God's  promise,  here  denotes  his  precept,  as  it  does  in  v. 
67  below.  Against  thee.,  literally,  as  to^  with  resjped  to  tktt. 
See  abovD,  on  Ps   li.  6  (4.) 

12.  Blessed  (he)  thou,  Jehovah!  Teach  me  thy  statutes!  The 
doxology  seems  designed  to  break  the  uniformity  of  this  series  of 
aphorisms,  by  an  occasional  expression  of  strong  feeling.  At  the 
same  time,  it  furnishes  a  kind  of  ground  for  the  petition  in  the 
last  clause.  Since  thou  art  the  blessed  and  eternal  God,  have 
pity  on  ray  weakness  and  instruct  me  in  the  knowledge  of  thy 
will. 

13.  With  my  lips  have  I  recounted  all  the  judgments  of  thy 
mouth.  1  have  not  confined  the  knowledge  of  thy  precepts  to  my 
own  mind,  but  imparted  it  to  others.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  10, 
11  (9,  10.)     Judgments.,  ]\xdi\(i\2i\  decisions,  determinations  as  td 


PSALM    ex  IX.  155 

what  is  right  and  binding,  a  description  perfectly  appropriate  to 
the  divine  precepts.  Of  thy  mouthy  which  thou  hast  uttered. 
There  seems  to  be  allusion  to  the  phrase  with  my  lips  in  the  first 
clause. 

14.  In  the  way  of  thy  testimonies  I  rejoice  as  o-ftr  all  wealth 
Not  merely  in  the  knowledge  of  Grod's  will,  but  in  ihe  doing  of  it 
in  treading  the  path  which  he  prescribes  for  u?  Over  may  bo 
simply  equivalent  to  in,  or  intended  to  suggest  tht  additional  idea 
of  superiority,  above  (or  more  than)  all  wealth.  As  over,  as  I  do 
over  all  the  wealth  I  have,  or  as  I  should  do  Q^  c  all  wealth  if  I 
had  it. 

15.  In  thy  precepts  will  I  meditate  and  it  >k  {at)  thy  .paths 
Not  only  of  thy  precepts  or  concerning  then^^  but  in  them,  while 
encra^ed  in  doing  them.     Look  has  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  6. 

16.  In  thy  statutes  I  will  delight  myself  ;  I  will  not  forget  thy 
word.  Delight  or  enjoy  myself,  seek  my  pleasure,  find  my  hap- 
piness. Here  ends  the  second  stanza,  in  which  all  the  verses 
except  one  (v.  12)  begin  not  only  with  the  same  letter  but  the 
game  word,  the  preposition  (n)  in. 


17.  Grant  to  thy  servant  (that)  I  may  live,  and  I  will  keep  thy 
tcord.  Grant  to,  bestow  upon,  thy  servant  this  favour.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  6  (5.)  There  may  be  an  allusion  to  the  way 
in  which  the  law  connects  life  and  obedience.  See  Lev.  xviii. 
5.  Deut.  vi.  24. 

18.  Uncover  my  eyes  and  I  will  look — wonders  out  of  thy  law  ! 
The  last  clause  is  a  kind  of  exclamation  after  his  eyes  have  been 
uncovered.  This  figure  is  often  used  to  denote  inspiration  or  a 
Bpecial  divine  communication.  Out  of  thy  law,  i.  e.  brought  out 
to  view,  as  if  from  a  place  of  concealment. 


156  PSALM    CXIX. 

19.  A  strange)'  (am)  I  in  the  enrth ;  hide  not  J^-nm  rm  th% 
commandments.  A  stranger,  an  exile,  one  witht.jt  frieods  or 
home,  a  poetical  description  of  calamity  in  general,  not  without 
allusion  to  the  captivity  both  in  Babylon  and  Egypt,  and  to  the 
consequent  mention  of  strangers  in  the  Law  as  obj  'Cts  of  compas- 
sion. The  prayer  in  the  last  clause  is,  that  God  will  not  withhold 
from  him  the  knowledge  of  his  will. 

20.  My  soul  hrcaketh  with  longing  for  thy  judgments  at  everp 
time.  The  Hebrew  verb  occurs  only  here,  but  its  meaning  is 
determined  by  the  cognate  dialects.  The  word  translated  longing 
belongs  also  to  the  later  Hebrew.  Its  verbal  root  o  curs  below 
in  vs.  40,  174.  Judgments  includes  G-od's  precepts  mentioned  in 
V.  19  and  his  penal  inflictions  on  the  wicked  mentioned  in  v.  21. 

21.  Thou  hast  rebuked  the  proud.,  the  accursed,  those  wandering 
from  thy  commandments.  Compare  Ps.  ix.  6  (5.)  Ecbuked,  not 
merely  by  word  but  by  deed,  i.  e.  punished. 

22.  Roll  from  off  me  reproach  and  contempt,  for  thy  testimonies 
I  have  kept.  The  first  verse  coincides  in  form  with  that  at  the 
beo-innino-  of  v.  18,  but  is  from  a  different  loot.  There  is  an 
obvious  allusion  to  the  rolling  off  of  the  reproach  of  Egypt, 
Josh.  V.  9. 

23.  Also  princes  sat  and  at  me  talked  together,  and  thy  servant 
muses  of  lAy  statutes.      This  is   one  of    the   expressions   in  the 

-psalm  n-at  literally  applicable  to  the  individual  believer,  and  re- 
garded therefore  as  a  proof  of  its  national  design  and  import. 
The  princes  are  then  the  chiefs  of  the  surrounding  nations.  The 
also  (33)  seem  to  be  inserted  merely  on  account  of  the  alphabet* 
ical  arrangement  which  requires  the  letter  gimel. 

24.  Also  thy   testimonies    {are)    my  delights,  the   men   of  my 


PSALM    ex  IX.  ir- 

counsei.  He  calls  them  his  counsellors,  in  opposition  to  the 
malignai.t  counsels  of  the  enemy.  Delights^  enjoyments,  happi- 
ness, the  plural  form  denoting  fulness  and  completeness.  Two  of 
the  verses  in  the  stanza  ending  here  begin  with  (ta)  also^  and 
two  with  (^3),  though  in  different  senses. 


25.  My  sou.  cleaveik  unto  the  dust ;  quicken  thou  me  according 
to  thy  v:oid.  The  first  clause  seems  intended  to  suggest  two 
consistent  but  distinct  ideas,  that  of  deep  degradation,  as  in  Ps. 
xliv.  26  (25),  and  that  of  death,  as  in  Ps.  xxii.  30  (29.)  The 
first  would  be  more  obvious  in  itself,  and  in  connection  with  the 
parallel  referred  to  ;  but  the  other  seems  to  be  indicated  as  the 
prominent  idea  by  the  correlative  p*etition  in  the  last  clause. 
Quicken^  i.  e.  save  me  alive,  or  restore  me  to  life,  the  Hebrew 
word  being  a  causative  of  the  verb  to  live.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
XXX.  4  (3.)  Thy  word,  the  promise  annexed  to  thy  command- 
ment, as  in  V.  28  below. 

26.  My  ivays  have  I  recounted,  and  thou  hast  answered  me, 
teach  me  thy  statutes.  The  first  clause  is  not  to  be  restricted 
to  a  confession  of  sin,  though  that  may  be  included,  but  ex- 
tended to  a  statement  of  his  cares,  anxieties,  and  affairs  in 
general.  Hence  the  correlative  expression,  thou  hast  answered 
me,  the  Hebrew  verb  being  specially  appropriated  to  the  hear- 
ing or  answering  of  prayer,  i.  e.  granting  what  it  asks.  The  lasl 
clause  expresses  a  desire  to  testify  his  gratitude  for  God's  com- 
passion by  obeying  his  commandments,  with  the  usual  acknow- 
ledo-ment  that  these  cannot  be  executed  without  divine  assistance, 

o 

or  even  known  without  divine  instruction. 

27.  The  way  of  thy  precepts  make  me  understand,  and  I  will 
muse  of  thy  wonders.  The  first  clause  expreses  the  same  wish, 
arisino-  from  the  same  consciousness  of  weakness,  as  in  v.  26.  The 
verb  in  the  last  clause  is  one  of  those  in  the  usage  of  which  tiu- 


158  PSALM    CXI  X. 

ideas  of  speecli  and  meditation  run  continually  into  one  another 
Soe  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  18  (17.)  Ixix.  13  (12.)  Ixxiv.  4,  7  (3,  6.) 
cv.  2. 

28.  My  soul  weeps  from  sorrow  ;  raise  me  up  according  to  thy 
word.  The  meaning  of  the  first  verb  seems  to  be  determined  by 
Job  xvi.  20,  where  the  same  thing  is  predicated  of  the  eye.  The 
oldest  versions  make  it  mean  to  slumber  (LXX.  ivvaia.^tp. 
Vulg.  dormitavit)^  which  would  make  the  clause  remarkably  coin- 
cident with  Luke  xxii.  45. 

29.  The  way  of  falsehood  remove  from  me^  and  thy  law  grant 
unto  me  graciously.  The  way  mentioned  in  the  first  clause  is  that 
of  unfaithfulness  to  God's  covenant,  or  of  apostasy  from  it.  See 
above,  v.  21.  Remove.,  a  causative  in  Hebrew,  meaning  make  to 
depart.  The  common  version  of  the  last  verb,  as  above  given,  is 
a  correct  paraphrase  of  the  Hebrew  verb  {'Sl^)  to  be  gracious,  to 
act  graciously,  and  here  still  more  specifically,  to  give  graciously, 
to  bestow  as  a  free  favour.  To  give  the  law  is  still,  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding verses,  to  make  it  known  by  a  divine  illumination. 

30.  The  way  of  tiuth  have  I  chosen  ;  thy  judgments  have  I  set 
(before  me.)  Truth.,  in  the  sense  of  faithfulness,  fidelity  to  ob- 
ligations, the  opposite  of  the  falsehood  mentioned  in  v.  29.  His 
own  choice  coincides  with  the  divine  requisitions.  Judgments^  as 
in  vs.  7,  13,  above.  I  have  set.,  i.  e.  before  me,  as  an  end  to  be 
Rimed  at,  and  a  rule  to  be  followed.  The  Hebrew  verb  occurs 
above,  Ps.  xviii.  34  (33.)  xxi.  6  (5.)  Ixxxix.  20  (19),  and  the 
full  phrase,  Ps.  xvi.  8.  The  Septuagint  renders  it  here,  /  have 
not  forgotten. 

31.  I  have  cleaved  unto  thy  testimonies.,  oh  Jehovah.,  put  me  not  tt 
tkamt.  The  first  verb  is  the  same  with  that  in  v.  25.  Unto 
literally  in.,  as  if  implying  a   complete  absorption  in  the  object 


PSALM    CXIX.  759 

See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  2.  Testimonies,  precepts,  as  iu  v.  2  ShaTne 
mz  not,  suffer  not  my  hopes  to  be  disappointed  and  confounded 
The  Hebrew  verb  is  a  causative  of  that  in  v.  6. 

32.  The  way  of  thy  commandments  will  I  run,  for  thou  wilt  en* 
large  my  heart.  The  verb  to  run  expresses  a  more  zealoug 
obedience  than  the  usual  expression  walk.  To  enlarge  is  some- 
times to  relieve  from  confinement.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxviii.  5. 
But  the  whole  phrase,  to  enlarge  the  heart,  seems,  especially  in 
this  connection,  to  denote  a  change  in  the  affections  leading  to 
more  prompt  obedience.  Of  the  eight  verses  in  this  stanza  five 
begin  with  the  noun  (Ti'l^)  way  or  its  plural,  and  two  with  the 
verb  (p^'n)  to  cleave. 


33.  Guide  me,  Jehovah,  (iu)  the  way  of  thy  statutes,  and  I  will 
keep  it  (to  the)  end.  The  first  verb  is  here  used  in  its  primary 
sense  of  showing  or  pointing  out  the  way,  from  which  is  deduced 
the  secondary  one  of  teaching,  /leep  it,  observe  it,  adhere  to  it, 
keep  in  it.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew,  which  occurs  above,  iu 
different  senses  and  connections,  Ps.  xix.  12  (11.)  xl.  16  (15.) 
Ixx.  4  (3),  is  used  adverbially  here  and  in  v.  112  below. 

34.  Wlcike  me  understand  (it)  and  I  will  keep  thy  laio,  and  will 
observe  it  with  a  whole  heart.  The  first  verb  is  too  vaguely  ren- 
dered in  the  English  versions  (give  me  understanding.)  It  has 
here  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  27,  and  the  object  is  to  be  supplied 
from  the  next  member  of  the  sentence.  The  form  of  the  last 
verb  is  one  expressing  strong  desire  and  fixed  determinatirn. 
With  a  whole  heart,  or  with  all  (my)  hzart,  as  in  v.  2. 

35.  Make  me  tread  in  the  path  of  thy  tommandme^its,  for  in  it 
ao  I  delight.  The  first  verb  is  the  causative  of  that  used  in  Ps. 
vii.  13  (12.)  xi.  2.  xxxvii.  14.  xci.  13.  I  delight,  have  delighted, 
not  at  present  merely  but  in  time  past. 


160  PSALM    CXIX. 

36.  Incline  my  heart  unto  thy  testimonies^  and  not  to  gain 
Here  agaiu  the  sense  of  absolute  dependence  or  divine  influence 
is  strongly  implied.  Testimonies^  as  in  v.  31.  Gain^  profit, 
lucre,  as  in  Ps.  xxx.  10  (9),  but  here  put  for  overweening  love  of 
it,  supreme  devotion  to  it. 

37.  Turn  away  my  eyes  from  seeing  falsehood  ;  in  thy  wayi 
quicken  me.  The  first  verb  strictly  means  to  cause  to  pass  (or  turn) 
away.  Falsehood  is  not  the  word  so  rendered  in  v.  29,  but  the  neg- 
ative term  (J^T-^)  meaning  vanity^  nonentity,  and  here  applied  to 
all  objects  of  religious  trust  besides  God.  These  the  Psalmist 
desires  not  even  to  see,  much  less  to  gaze  at  Math  delight  and 
confidence.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxi.  7  (6.)  xl.  5  (4.j  Ix.  13  (11.) 
Ixii.  10  (9.)  Qidckcn  me.,  save  me  or  make  me  alive,  as  in  v.  25. 
In  thy  ways.,  by  leading  me  in  the  way  of  thy  commandments. 

38.  Make  good  to  thy  servant  thy  word  which  (thou  hast 
spoken)  to  thy  fearers.  The  first  verb  means  to  cause  to  stand, 
to  set  up,  to  establish,  to  confirm,  and  in  this  connection  to  ful- 
fill or  verify.  To  thy  servant.,  not  merely  to  me.,  but  to  me  who 
am  thy  servaiU.,  in  a  special  and  emphatic  sense,  which  is  appli- 
cable either  to  the  chosen  people  as  a  whole,  or  to  its  individual 
members.  Thy  word.,  as  in  vs.  25,  28.  To  thy  fearers.,  liter- 
ally, to  thy  fear,  the  abstract  being  put  for  the  concrete  term  ;  or 
it  might  be  rendered  for  thy  fear.,  that  thou  mayest  be  feared. 
See  below,  on  Ps.  cxxx.  4. 

39.  Turn  away  my  disgrace  wtiich  I  dread.,  for  thy  judgments 
{are)  good.  The  first  word  is  the  same  with  that  in  v.  37,  mean- 
ing make  (or  cause)  to  pass  away.  In  this  connection  it  might 
either  mean  to  remove  or  to  avert ;  but  the  latter  agrees  better 
with  the  next -phrsiiiQ^  which  I  dread.  The  original  is  not  the  com- 
nion  Hebrew  word  for  fear.,  but  one  used  by  Moses  in  precisely 
the  same  sense  as  here.     See  Deut.  ix.  19.  xxviii.  60,  and  com- 


PSALM    CXIX. 


iol 


pare  Job  ix.  2S.  Thy' judgments  are  good^  i.  e.  prompted  and 
controlled  by  infinite  goodness,  and  should  therefore  fall  upon 
the  wicked,  not  the  righteou-s. 

40.  Beheld^  I  long  for  thy  precepts  ;  in  thy  righteousness  quicken 
««.  The  first  word  is  equivalent  to  see  (or  thou  seest)  that  it  is 
60,  and  involves  an  appeal  to  the  divine  omniscience.  The  first 
verb  is  the  root  of  the  noun  longing  in  v.  20.  To  lon^  for  God's 
precepts  is  to  long  for  the  knowledge  of  them  and  for  grace  to 
obey  them.  The  last  clause  prays  that  since  God's  judgments 
are  good  (v.  39),  instead  of  killing  they  may  make  alive.  See 
above,  on  vs.  17,  25,  37.  In  the  stanza  closing  with  this  verso, 
only  one  initial  word  is  repeated,  namely  (l^^n)  cause  to  pass  or 
turn  away. 


41.  And  let  thy  mercies  come  (unto)  7m,  oh  Jehovah,  thy  salva- 
tion, according  to  thy  word.  That  the  stanzas  were  not  meant  to 
be  regarded  as  distinct  and  independent  compositions,  is  clear 
from  the  copulative  (and)  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse.  Mercies, 
suited  to  my  various  necessities.  Co7ne  to  me,  or  upo7i  me,  or 
irito  me,  which  are  the  ideas  commonly  expressed  by  this  verb 
when  construed  directly  with  a  noun.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxv.  8. 
xxxvi.  12  (11.)  c.  4.  Salvation  is  in  apposition  with  mercies, 
being  that  in  which  all  other  gifts  and  favours  are  summed  up 
md  comprehended.     With  the  last  words  compare  v.  38  above 

42.  And  (then)  /  will  answer  my  reviler  a  word  ;  for  I  trust 
9n  thy  word.  The  best  answer  to  the  calumnies  and  insults  of 
his  enemies  is  that  afforded  by  his  manifest  experience  of  God's 
favour,  and  the  practical  vindication  thereby  afforded.  The  ad 
ditiou  of  word,  which  in  our  idiom  is  superfluous,  may  have  some 
reference  to  its  use  in  the  corresponding  clause.  As  if  he  had 
said  :  only  let  thy  word  be  fulfilled,  and  I  shall  have  a  word  t' 
say  in  answer  to  my  enemies. 


ifi2  PSALM    CXIX. 

43.  And  take  not  out  of  my  mouth  (this)  word  of  truth  utterly^ 
for  in  thy  judgments  do  I  hojpe.  Deprive  me  not  of  this  conclusive 
answer  to  my  enemies,  by  withholding  that  providential  vindica- 
tion of  my  character  and  practical  attestation  of  thy  favour  to- 
wards me,  which  I  confidently  look  for.  The  first  verb  is  used 
in  its  primary  sense  (Gen.  xxxii.  12),  from  which  comes  the  usual 
but  secondary  one  of  snatching  out  of  danger,  extricating,  saving. 
For  the  literal  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  phrase  translated  utterly, 
see  above,  on  v.  8.  The  last  phrase  in  the  verse  means,  for  thy 
judgments  I  have  waited,  i.  e.  confidently  looked  for  their  ap- 


44.  And  I  will  observe  thy  law  always,  u7ito  eternity  and 
perpetuity.  Not  merely  for  a  time,  or  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
this  triumph  over  his  enemies,  but  forever,  to  express  which  idea 
the  three  strongest  terms  afibrded  by  the  language  are  combined. 
As  the  keeping  Df  the  law,  so  often  mentioned  in  this  psalm,  has 
evident  reference  to  the  present  life,  the  strong  promise  of  per- 
petual obedience,  in  the  verse  before  us,  is  considered  by  some 
writers  as  a  proof  that  the  ideal  speaker  is  not  an  individual  be- 
liever, but  the  church  or  chosen  people. 

45.  A7id  I  ivill  walk  in  a  wide  place,  for  thy  precepts  have  1 
sought.  Free  from  the  pressure  and  confinement  to  which  he 
had  been  previously  subject.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxviii.  5 
Sought  thy  precepts,  i.  e.  sought  to  know  them  and  to  do  them. 
Compare  the  combination,  keep  and  seek,  in  1  Chr.  xxviii.  8. 

46.  A7id  I  will  speak  of  thy  testimonies  lefore  kings  and  will 
not  be  ashamed.  Here  again  some  eminent  interpreters  have 
found  an  indication  of  the  national  design  and  meaning  of  the 
whole  psalm,  as  the  individual  believer  could  not  be  expected  to 
bear  witness  to  the  truth  in  such  a  presence.  He  might  however 
f^o  so,  a.s  one  of  the  component  parts  of  the  whole  body.     But 


PSALM    CXIX.  ie?3 

the  words  are  really  expressive  only  of  a  readiness  to  declare  the 
divine  testimony  against  sin,  in  any  presence,  even  the  most 
august,  if  it  should  be  necessary.  This  passage  seems  to  have 
been  present  to  our  Saviour's  mind  when  he  uttered  the  predic- 
tion in  Matt.  x.  IS.  Ashamed  has  here  its  strict  sense,  as  deno 
ting  a  painful  feeling  of  humiliation. 

47.  And  I  tcill  delight  myself  in  thy  commandments  which  j 
Icve.  I  will  not  obey  them  merely  from  a  selfish  dread  of  punish- 
ment or.  painful  sense  of  obligation,  but  because  T  love  them  and 
derive  my  highest  happiness  from  doing  them.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xix,  12  (11.)  The  first  verb  has  the  same  sense  as  in  v.  16. 
The  past  tense  of  the  last  verb  {I  have  loved)  represents  his  love 
to  God's  commandments  as  no  new-born  and  capricious  passion, 
but  a  settled  habit  and  affection  of  his  soul. 

48.  And  I  will  raise  my  hands  to  thy  commandments  which  1 
love^  and  I  icill  muse  of  thy  statutes.  The  raising  of  the  hands 
is  a  symbol  of  the  raising  of  the  heart  or  the  affections  to  some 
elevated  object.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  2.  Which  I  love, 
or  have  loved,  as  in  v.  47,  the  terms  of  which  are  studiously 
repeated  with  a  fine  rhetorical  effect,  which  is  further  heightened 
by  the  and  at  the  beginning,  throwing  both  verses,  as  it  were, 
into  one  sentence.  As  if  he  had  said :  I  will  derive  my 
happiness  from  thy  commandments,  which  I  love  and  have  loved, 
and  to  the.se  commandments,  which  I  love  and  have  loved,  I  will 
lift  up  my  hands  and  heart  together.  For  the  meaning  of  the 
hast  clause,  see  above,  on  v.  27.  The  connective  force  of  the 
conjunction  and  must  not  be  urged  in  this  verse,  as  it  was  needed 
to  supply  the  initial  vau,  a  letter  with  which  scarcely  any  Hebrew 
words  begin. 


49.    Remember   (thy)  word  to  thy  servant,  because  thou  hast 
made  me   to   hope.      The  obvious    meaning   of    the  first    clauso 


164  PSALM    CXIX 

is,  rememher  the  word  (spoken)  to  thy  servant  But  Hebrew 
usage  makes  it  probable,  that  the  first  and  last  words  of 
the  clause  are  to  be  construed  tocether,  so  as  to  mean  rememher 
for  thy  servant^  i.  e.  for  his  benefit,  as  in  Ps.  xcviii.  3.  cvi.  45. 
Word  is  then  absolutely  put  for  promise,  as  in  Ps.  Ivi.  11  (10), 
and  the  meaning  of  the  whole  clause  is,  remember  thy  promise  in 
compassion  to  thy  servant.  The  common  version  of  the  last 
clause  {upon  which  etc.)  is  forbidden  by  the  facts,  that  the  Hebrew 
verb  is  never  construed  elsewhere  with  the  proposition  o?i,  and  that 
Hebrew  usage  would  require  a  difierent  combination  (l1^3>  ^-ti) 
to  convey  the  sense  supposed.  That  the  one  here  used 
("iDi^  b2>)  may  mean  because,  is  clear  from  Deut.  xxix.  24. 
2  Sam.  iii.  30.  The  same  verb  that  means  to  hope  in  v.  43  is  used 
as  a  causative,  to  make  hope,  here  and  in  Ezek.  xiii.  6. 

50.  This  (is)  my  comfort  in  my  suffering,  and  thy  word 
q7iickens  me.  The  reference  to  continued  suffering  in  the  first 
clause,  and  to  its  partial  cessation  in  the  second,  agrees  well  with 
the  condition  of  the  chosen  people  when  restored  from  exile. 
The  terms,  however,  are  so  chosen  as  to  be  equally  appropriate 
to  personal  aiBictions,  restorations,  and  deliverances.  The  word 
for  comfort  occurs  elsewhere  only  in  Job  vi.  10,  where  it  has 
precisely  the  same  form.  Thy  word  includes  thy  decree  or 
order  and  thy  promise.  Quickens,  saves  alive,  or  restores  to  lifcj 
according  to  the  prayer  in  vs.  25,  37,  40.  The  past  tense  {hai 
quickened)  implies  that  the  conservative  or  restorative  effect  has 
already  been  experienced,  though  not  yet  perfected. 

51.  Proud  (o7ies)  deride  me  greatly  ;  from  thy  laio  I  szcerve 
Mot.  Both  verbs  are  in  the  past  tense,  which  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  the  derision  here  complained  of,  although  recent, 
had  now  ceased  or  been  abated.  The  clause  agrees  well  with 
the  scorn  excited  in  the  heathen  neighbours  of  the  restored  Jew3 
by  what  seemed  to  be  their  mad  attempt  to  build  the*  temple. 


PSALM    CXIX.  165 

The  OiTiission  of  a  connective  makes  the  antithesis  more  pointed. 
Swerved^  declined,  or  turned  aside.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  19 
(18),  and  compare  Ps.  xl.  5  (4.)  The  first  word  in  the  verse  is 
one  commonly  applied  to  presumptuous  high-handed  sinners.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xix.  14  (13.) 

52.  /  have  rememiered  thy  judgments  from  eternity^  Jehovah^ 
and  consoled  myself.  His  faith  and  hope  under  present  trials  are 
sustained  by  recollection  of  the  past.  Thy  judgments.,  not  merely 
the  punishments  inflicted  on  thy  enemies,  but  all  the  exhibitions 
of  thy  righteousness  in  outward  act,  including  the  deliverances  of 
thy  people.  From  eternity.,  or  from  an  indefinite  antiquity,  which 
is  the  piimary  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word.  There  is  no  reason 
for  discarding  the  reflexive  form  of  the  last  verb,  as  some  versions 
do,  especially  as  it  suggests  the  idea,  not  of  a  mere  passive  recep- 
tion of  the  comfort,  but  of  an  active  effort  to  obtain  it. 

53.  Rage  has  seized  me  from  wicked  [men)  abandoning  thy 
law.  No  English  word  is  strong  enough  to  represent  the  first 
one  in  the  Hebrew  of  this  verse  except  rage  or  fury.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xi.  6.  It  here  denotes  the  highest  pitch  of  indignant 
disapproval.  From.,  i.  e.  arising  or  proceeding  from,  because  of. 
Forsaki'Tig  thy  law.,  not  only  refusing  in  practice  to  obey  it,  but 
avowedly  abjuring  its  authority. 

54.  Songs  for  me  have  heen  thy  statutes  in  the  house  of  my 
sojournings.  Instead  of  abjuring  them  as  presumptuous  sinners 
do,  I  make  them  the  subject  of  my  thankful  and  triumphant 
Bongs  (Isai.  xxiv.  16),  even  while  I  sojourn  as  a  pilgrim  and  a 
stranger  in  a  strange  laud.  The  house  of  my  sojournings.,  i.  e. 
the  house  where  I  sojourn,  is  an  imitation  of  tht  phrase,  lami  of 
sojournings,  which  occurs  so  often  in  the  patriarchal  history.  See 
Gen.  xvii.  8.  xxviii.  4.  xxxvi.  7.  xxxvii.  1.  Filgrimage  is  legs 
exact  because  it  suggests  the  idea  of  locomotion  rather  than  ol 


166  PSALM    CXIX. 

rest.     The  statutes  of  God   are  thus  rejoiced  in,  not  as  mtre 
requisitions,  but  as  necessarily  including  promises. 

55.  I  rememler  in  the  night  thy  name^  Jehovah^  and  observe 
thy  law.  The  night  is  mentioned  as  the  natural  and  customary  sea- 
son of  reflection  and  self-recollection,  and  also  as  the  time  when 
pains  of  every  kind  are  usually  most  acute.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xci.  5.  With  this  clause  and  the  verse  preceding  compare  Job 
XXXV.  10.  Thy  name^  i.  e.  all  that  is  denoted  by  thy  names,  and 
more  especially  by  the  one  here  mentioned,  thy  eternal  self 
existence  and  thy  covenant   relation    to  thy  people. 

56.  This  has  been  to  me^  for  thy  precepts  I  have  kept.  The 
usual  interpretations,  this  I  had  because  I  kept  thy  precepts,  and 
this  I  have  (namely)  that  I  keep  thy  precepts,  are  almost  unmeaning. 
When  taken  in  connection  with  the  one  before  it,  the  true  sense 
of  the  verse  appears  to  be,  that  what  he  was  thus  wont  to  promise 
or  resolve,  he  had  performed.  The  substantive  verb  is  to  be 
taken  in  the  sense  which  it  so  often  has  in  history.  This  has 
happened  to  me,  come  to  pass,  been  verified  in  my  experience. 
In  the  stanza  which  here  ends,  three  verses  begin  with  some  form 
of  the  verb  (^st)  to  reviember,  and  two  with  the  pronoun  (rjiit) 
this. 


57.  My  portion^  oh  Jehovah,  I  have  said,  (is)  to  keep  thy  words. 
This  construction  is  rejected  by  Hengstenberg  and  others,  ag 
forbidden  by  the  accents  and  the  analogy  of  Ps.  xvi.  5.  Ixxiii.  26. 
But  as  the  same  words  may  either  express  the  sense  here  given  or 
my  portion  (is)  Jehovah,  we  are  at  liberty  to  choose  the  one  best 
suited  to  the  context,  even  in  opposition  to  the  accents,  which 
cannot  be  regarded  as  an  ulthnate  authority.  In  favour  of  the 
sense  first  given  is  its  perfect  agreement  with  the  close  of  the 
preceding  stanza.      In  reference  to  the  resolution  there  recorded 


PSALM    ex IX.  167 

And  described  as  having  been  fulfilled,  lie  here  adds,  thus  have  I 
said  (declared  my  purpose)  oh  Lord  to  obey  thy  words. 

58.  I  have  sought  thy  favour  with  all  (my)  heart ;  he  gracious 
unto  me  according  to  thy  word.  In  the  first  clause  we  have  a 
repetition  of  the  singular  and  striking  idiom  used  in  Ps.  xlv.  13 
(12),  and  explained  by  some  as  meaning  strictly  to  soothe  or 
*ttroke  the  fac-e,  and  by  others  to  soften  or  subdue  it,  i.  e.  the 
hostility  or  opposition  expressed  by  it.  With  all  (my)  hearty  or 
icith  a  lohole  hearty  as  in  vs.  2,  34,  above.  Thy  loord  or  sayings 
i.  e.  thy  promise.  The  original  expression  is  not  ("in~l)  the  one 
so  constantly  employed  in  this  psalm,  but  (ni^i*)  that  used  in 
vs.  10,  41,  and  derived  from  the  verb  (n?354)  to  say. 

59.  /  have  thought  on  my  ivays,  and  turned  hack  my  feet  t^ 
thy  testimonies.  The  first  verb  here  means  thought  over.,  pondered, 
as  in  Ps.  Ixxvii.  6  (5.)  My  uwys^  i.  e.,  as  appears  from  the  last 
clause,  my  departures  from  thy  testimonies  or  commandments 
See  above,  on  vs.  2,  14,  31,  36,  46.  The  common  version  of  the 
last  verb  {turned).^  although  correct,  is  not  sufficient  to  convey 
the  full  force  of  the  Hebrew  word,  which  is  a  causative  meaninn' 
to  bring  back  or  make  to  return,  and  implying  previous  departure, 
whereas  the  primitive  verb  turn  carries  with  it  no  such  implication. 
While  this  verse  is  exactly  descriptive  of  the  process  of  personal 
conviction  and  conversion,  it  is  also  strikingly  appropriate  to  the 
effects  of  the  captivity  on  Israel,  as  a  church  and  nation. 

60.  /  hastened.,  and  delayed  not.  to  observe  thy  commandments. 
This  continues  the  account  of  his  conversion,  begun  in  the  prece- 
ding verse.  The  first  clause  exemplifies  the  idiomatic  combinatioEi 
of  a  positive  and  negative  expression  of  the  same  idea.  Tho 
second  verb  is  peculiarly  expressive  and  seems  to  be  applied,  in 
the  most  ancient  Hebrew  books,  to  a  trifling  and  unreasonable 
tarrying  in  great  emergencies.    See  Gen.  xix.  16.  xliii.  10.  Kx.  Trii 


168  PSALM    CXIX. 

39.  In  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  relation  to  its  singular  redu- 
plicated form,  the  Hebrew  veib  bears  some  analogy  to  certain 
familiar  terms  in  English,  which  are  colloquially  used  in  the 
same  manner. 

61.  Tht  hands  of  wicked  men  environed  me,  (but)  thy  laic  I  did 
not  forget.  As  descriptive  of  personal  experience,  this  may  be 
translated  in  the  present  (environ  me,  forget  not)  ;  but  in  oide» 
to  include  a  reference  to  the  Babylonish  exile,  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  people  from  apostasy  at  that  eventful  crisis,  the  pre- 
terite forms  of  the  original  must  be  preserved.  The  figure  of  the 
first  clause  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  xviii.  5,  6  (4,  5),  but  with  the 
substitution  of  a  verbal  form  used  only  here,  and  represented  by 
the  word  environed.  The  relation  of  the  clauses,  to  denote  which 
in  English  but  has  been  supplied,  is  the  same  as  in  v.  51  above. 

62.  At  midnight  I  will  rise  to  give  thanks  unto  thee  on  f account 
ofj  the  judgments  of  thy  righteousness.  The  first  phrase,  which 
literally  means  the  half  (or  halving)  of  the  nighty  is  borrowed  from 
the  history  of  the  midnight  massacre  in  Egypt,  Ex.  xi.  4.  xii.  29, 
to  which  there  is  also  a  historical  allusion,  as  a  signal  instance  of 
divine  interposition  and  miraculous  deliverance.  A  similar  allu- 
sion may  be  traced  in  Job  xxxiv.  20.  The  judgments  of  thy 
righteousness,  thy  judgments  of  righteousness,  thy  righteous 
judgments,  cannot  be  altogether  difi'erent  in  meaning  from  the 
very  same  words  in  v.  7,  as  supposed  by  some  interpreters,  who 
there  explain  the  phrase  to  mean  God's  precepts  or  his  requisi- 
tions, here  his  penal  inflictions.     The  solution  of  the  difficulty  lies 

'  in  this,  that  the  words  mean  neither  of  these  things  specifically, 
but  something  which  comprehends  them  both,  viz.  the  actual 
manifestations  of  God's  righteousness,  in  word  or  deed,  by  precept 
or  by  punishment. 

63.  A  fellow  {am)  I  to  all  who  fear  thee,  and  to  the  keepers  of 


PSALM    CXIA  155, 

thy  jprecepih.  Not  merely  a  companion  or  frequenter  of  theii 
company,  but  an  associate,  a  congenial  spi)it,  one  of  the  same 
vibaracter.  Compare  the  use  of  the  same  Hebrew  word  in  Pu 
xlv.  8  (7),  where  the  plural  is  translated  fclloics  in  the  Euglisu 
Bible.  The  verse  before  us  is  one  of  those  which  it  seems  most 
difficult  to  understand  of  Israel  as  a  whole  ;  for  in  what  sense  waa 
the  church  or  chosen  people  a  companion  of  those  fearing  God 
and  keeping  his  commandments,  when  all  the  people  in  the  world 
of  that  description  were  embraced  within  her  own  communion  ? 
The  force  of  this  objection  is  so  great  that  Hengstenberg  appliuo 
the  description  to  the  pious  ancestors  of  the  returned  Jews,  and 
refers  to  Mai.  iii.  24  (iv.  6.)  The  necessity  of  such  a  forced 
construction  goes  far  to  confirm  the  exegetieal  hypothesis,  already 
stated  as  most  probably  the  true  one,  that  the  psalm  was  intended 
to  express  the  feelings  of  an  individual  believer,  but  that  some  of 
its  terms  are,  from  parity  of  circumstances,  equally  descriptive  of 
what  had  been  experienced  by  the  house  of  Israel  as  a  church  and 
nation. 

64.  Of  thy  mercy ^  oh  Jehovah^  full  is  the  earth;  thy  statum 
teach  me.  Since  thy  mercy  fills  the  whole  earth,  let  it  reach  to 
me,  enabling  me  to  understand  thy  will  and  to  obey  it.  The 
relation  of  the  clauses  is  not  unlike  that  in  v.  12.  The  stanaa 
closing  with  this  verse  is  the  first  in  which  the  initial  words  of  all 
the  verses  are  entirely  difierent.  See  above,  on  vs.  8,  16,24, 
32,  40,  48,  56. 


65.  Good  hast  thou  done  to  thy  servant^  oh  Jehovah^  according 
to  thy  word.  The  common  version  of  the  fiist  clause  {thou  has^ 
dealt  icell  with  thy  servant)  is  equally  correct  and  has  the  advantage-' 
of  retaining  the  preposition  loith^  which  may  be  used  in  Englis^v 
after  deal  but  not  after  do.  The  sense  expressed  by  both  tran- 
lations  is  the  same,  to  wit,  thou  hast  treated  him  graciously  oj 

VOL.    III.  8 


170  PSALM    CXIX. 

kindly.  According  to  thy  word,  i.  e.  the  promise  annexed  to  tliy 
commandments,  as  in  vs.  2d,  28  (^compare  vs.  41,  58.)  This 
verse  is  equally  appropriate  as  a  personal  thanksgiving,  and  an 
acknowledgment  of  national  deliverances,  such  as  that  from 
Babylon. 

66.  Goodness  of  judgment  and  knowledge  teach  me,  for  in  fhp 
commandments  I  believe.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  not  {:i.  ) 
the  adjective  good,  as  in  v.  65,  but  (n^t:)  the  corresponding^ 
abstiact  noun  meaning  goodness,  as  in  Ps.  xxv.  7.  xxvii.  13, 
.xxxi.  20  (ly.)  That  it  here  denotes  not  moral  but  intellectual 
excellence,  is  determined  by  the  addition  of  (DSSts)  a  word  origi 
nally  meaning  taste,  and  then  transferred  to  reason,  judgment, 
understanding.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiv.  1.  Teach  me  good 
'Judgment,  i.  e.  impart  it  by  divine  instruction.  Judgment  and 
Knowledge  may  be  here  distinguished  as  in  common  parlance,  the 
one  denoting  the  faculty  employed,  the  other  the  result  of  its 
exertion.  The  knowledge  meant  is  that  continually  prayed  for  in 
this  psalm,  to  wit,  the  knowledge  of  God's  will.  The  connection 
of  the  clauses  seems  to  be,  that  he  has  faith  and  would  fain  have 
knowledge  ;  he  takes  God's  precepts  upon  trust,  but  then  prays 
that  he  may  understand  them.  To  believe  in  God's  command- 
ments is  to  believe  that  they  are  his,  and  therefore  right  and 
binding. 

67.  Before  I  suffered  I  {was)  going  astray,  and  now  thy  saying 
I  observe.  Going  astray,  wandering,  erring,  i.  e.  habitually,  ever 
straying.  And  now  (on  the  conti-ary),  where  our  idiom  would 
require  a  but.  The  saying  of  Grod  is  what  he  says,  including  both 
commands  and  promises,  which  indeed  are  represented  in  the  Old 
Testament,  and  especially  in  this  psalm,  as  inseparable.  Observe, 
attend  to,  keep  in  view,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  object, 
trusting  the  promise,  obeying  the  command.  The  last  verb  stri^^tW 
means  I  have  observed,  implying  that   the    salutary  fruit  of  tha 


PSALM    CXIX.  17] 

affliction  was  already  realized  and  still  continued.  The  sentiment 
of  this  verse  has  been  echoed,  and  its  very  words  repeated,  by  tlie 
godly  sufi'orers  of  every  age,  a  strong  proof  that  it  was  meant  to 
be  so  used.  At  the  same  time  it  furnishes  an  exquisite  description 
of  the  eifect  produced  upon  the  Jews,  as  a  body,  by  the  Babylon- 
ish exile,  and  especially  the  end  which  it  forever  put  to  their 
continual  lapses  into  idolatry,  by  which  their  early  history  was 
characterized,  and  with  respect  to  which  the  whole  race  mi-T-ht 
well  have  said.  Before  I  suffered  I  was  (ever)  straying. 

68.  Good  {art)  thou  and  doing  good — teach  me  thy  statutes  . 
Good,  both  essentially  and  actively  or  practically ;  good  in  thyself 
and  good  to  others.  The  participle,  as  in  v.  67,  denotes  habitual 
constant  action,  {ever)  doing  good.  It  is  characteristic  of  this 
psalm,  that  the  petition  founded  on  the  goodness  of  God's  nature, 
on  his  beneficence,  and  even  on  his  infinite  perfection,  si  still, 
teach  me  thy  statutes  !  Make  me  acquainted  with  thy  will,  and 
shojr  me  how  to  do  it !     See  above,  on  vs.  12,  64. 

69.  Proud  (meii)  have  forged  a  lie  against  me;  7,  with  oil 
(my)  hearty  will  keep  thy  precepts.  Proud,  presumptuous,  over- 
bearing sinners,  as  in  v.  51.  Forged  expresses  the  essential 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word,  but  not  its  figurative  form,  which 
seems  to  be  that  of  sewing,  analogous  to  that  of  weaving,  as  ap- 
plied to  the  same  thing,  both  in  Hebrew  and  in  other  language.^. 
We  may  also  compare  our  figui-ative  phrase,  to  patch  up,  which 
however  is  not  so  much  suggestive  of  artifice  or  skill  as  of  the 
want  of  it.  The  connection  of  the  clauses  is,  that  all  the  craft 
and  malice  of  his  enemies  should  only  lead  him  to  obey  God  with 
a  more  undivided  heart  than  ever.  See  above,  on  v.  58.  With 
the  same  surprising  skill  and  wisdom  as  in  many  other  casea 
which  have  been  already  mentioned,  this  verse  is  so  framed  as  to 
be  equally  well  suite  1  to  such  national  and  public  evils  as  those 
described  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Ezra,  and  to  the  sufferings  of 


172  PSALM    CXI X. 

the  pious  individual,  arising  from  the  pride  and  spite  of  wicked 
enemies. 

70.  Fat  as  grease  {is)  their  heart.  I  (in)  thy  law  delight.  The 
eonnection  of  the  clauses  lies  in  the  figurative  use  of  fat  to  denote 
insensibility.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  10.  Ixxiii.  7.  While  they 
are  utterly  insensible  to  spiritual  pleasures,  and  especially  to  those 
Bpriuging  from  the  knowledge  of  thy  law,  I  find  therein  my  highest 
hap])iness.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  is  a  cognate  form  to  that 
in  vs.  16,  47,  and  identical  with  that  in  Isai.  xi.  8,  where  it 
means  to  play,  sport,  or  enjoy  one's  self. 

71.  (It  is)  good  for  me  that  I  was  made  to  suffer^  to  the  end 
that  I  might  learn  thy  statutes.  The  prayer  so  frequently  re- 
peated, teach  vie  thy  statutes.,  is  now  proved  to  be  sincere  by  a 
hearty  acquiescence  in  the  painful  discipline  by  which  it  had  been 
partially  fulfilled  already.  Good  for  me.,  and  therefore  good  on 
God's  part.  The  idea  of  compulsory  subjection  to  this  salutary 
process  is  suggested  by  the  passive  causative  form  of  the  verb 
used  in  v.  67.  To  the  end  or  intent.,  a  phrase  corresponding, 
both  in  form  and  meaning,  to  the  Hebrew. 

72.  Good  for  me  is  the  law  of  thy  mouth  (more)  than  thous- 
a7ids  of  gold  and  silver.  For  me.,  for  my  use  as  well  as  in  my 
estimation.  IVie  law  of  thy  mouth.,  that  which  thou  hast  uttered. 
See  above,  on  v.  13.  Than.,  literally,  from,  away  from,  as  dis- 
tinguished from,  as  compared  with,  which  is  just  the  meaning  of 
the  English  than.  The  combination  good  than.,  or  good  from,  is 
tlii',  nearest  npproach,  of  which  the  Hebrew  idiom  admits,  to  better 
{'urn.  Th;'  ill  J  finite  term  thousands  may  refer  to  weight  or 
uir.iiber;  to  Cdiii  or  bullion  ;  to  coins  in  general,  or  to  shekels  or 
•:'j.-,:uts  ill  paiticular.  While  this  verse  primarily  expresstis  thp 
changed  ebtiniate  which  Israel  learned  in  exile  to  put  upon  the  hi  w 


PSA.LM    CXIX.  17^ 

ii  is  equally  expressive  of  the  feeling  cherished  by  all  true  be 
lie  vers,  in  their  best  estate,  as  to  the  value  of  the  word  of  God 
Here  ends  the  ninth  stanza,  of  which  five  verses  begin  with  the 
word  (nits)  good. 


73.  Thy  hands  made  me  and  fashioned  me  ;  make  me  understand 
and  let  me  learn  thy  commandments.  As  I  owe  my  existence  to  thy 
power,  so  too  I  rely  upon  thy  grace  for  spiritual  illumination. 
Compare  Deut.  xxxii.  6.  Fashioned^  literally,  fixed,  established, 
I.  e.  framed  my  constitution  as  it  is. 

74.  Thy  fearers  shall  see  me  and  rejoice  ;  for  in  thy  word  have 
I  hoped.  Compare  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  xxxiv.  3  (2.)  They  shall 
rejoice  in  my  case,  as  a  new  proof  that  they  who  trust  in  God 
cannot  be  disappointed.  The  literal  meaning  of  the  last  clause 
is,  because  for  thy  word  I  have  waited,  i.  e.  patiently  and  trust- 
fully awaited  its  fulfilment. 

75.  I  know ^  Jehovah,  that  righteousness  art  thy  judgments^  and 
{m)  faithfulness  thou  hast  afflicted  me  (or  made  me  suffer.)  Thy 
judgments,  thy  sovereign  decisions  and  their  execution,  are 
righteousness  itself,  i.  e.  perfectly  righteous.  So  in  the  next 
clause,  for  in  faithfulness  we  may  read  as  faithfulness  itself,  as 
one  absolutely  faithful  to  his  promise  and  engagements.  This 
confession  would  be  untrue,  if  those  who  made  it  were  not  con- 
gcioiis  of  their  guilt  and  ill-desert.     Compare  Deut.  xxxii.  4 

76.  Oh  that  thy  me?  cy  might  be  for  my  comfort,  according  to 
thy  saying  to  thy  servant.  The  optative  expression,  oh  that,  is 
here  used  to  represent  the  Hebrew  particle  of  entreaty  (wV),  cor- 
rectly paiaphrased  in  the  English  Bible,  /  fray  thee.  />•  my 
comfort,  literally,  to  comfort  (ov  console)  me.  Thy  saying,  that 
which  thou  hast  said  or  promised.      To  thy  servant,  to  rae  as  th>- 


l74  PSALM    CXIX. 

servant,  and  as  such  in  covenant  with  tbec.     This  description  is 
equally  apj^ropriate  to  the  body  and  its  members. 

77.  Let  thy  compassions  ame  unto  me  (or  wpon  mc)^  and  I  shall 
livz^for  thy  law  {is)  my  delights.  The  construction  in  the  first 
clause  is  like  that  in  v.  41.  And  I  shall  live,or  as  we  might  ex- 
press it,  that  I  may  live.  See  above,  on  v.  17.  He  pleads  what 
be  has  received  already  as  a  ground  for  asking  more.  The  plural 
(delights)  expresses  fulness  and  completeness,  or  perhaps  implies 
that  this  joy  is  equal  or  superior  to  all  others,  or  includes  them  all. 
The  Hebrew  noun  is  derived  from  the  verb  in  vs.  16,  47,  70. 

78.  Shamed  be  the  proud.,  for  falsely  have  they  wronged  me  ;  1 
will  muse  of  thy  precepts.  Falseli.,  WievaWj.,  falsehood.,  i.  e.  in  or 
by  it.  Wronged.,  literally,  bent,  perverted.  With  the  last 
clause  compare  vs.  27,  48, 

79.  Let  them  return  to  me  that  fear  thee  and  know  thy  testi- 
monies. Let  thy  servants  who  have  looked  upon  me  as  abandoned 
by  thee  now  restore  to  me  their  confidence.  The  various  read- 
ing in  the  last  clause  ("^yi"^  and  I5n"i)  do3s  not  affect  the  meaning 
of  the  sentence,  except  that  the  reading  in  the  text  may  be  included 
in  the  wish,  and  let  them  know  thy  testimonies.,!,  e.  let  them  learn 
from  my  experience  to  understand  thy  precepts  better. 

80.  Let  my  heart  be  perfect  in  thy  statutes.,  to  the  end  that  I  may 
not  be  shamed,  in  thy  statutes,  in  the  knowledge  and  the  prac- 
tice of  them,  or  as  it  is  expressed  in  Ps.  xix.  12  (11),  in  keeping 
ihem.  Shamed.,  put  to  shame  by  the  frustration  of  my  highest 
hopes.  See  above,  on  v.  6.  Two  of  the  verses  in  this  stanza 
I'.cgin  with  the  sair.e  Hebrew  word  (  n"^). 


PSALM    CXIX.  17^^ 

81.  For  thy  mlvation  faints  my  soul ;  for  thy  word,  do  I  wait. 
lioth  verbs  are  in  the  preterite,  implying  that  il  is  so  and  has 
been  so.  Faints^  is  spent  or  wasted.  This  stron^r  expression  for 
intense  desire  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  3  (2.)  With  the  last 
clause  compare  v.  74. 

82.  My  eyes  fail  for  thy  sayings  so  that  I  say^  lohen  icilt  than 
comfort  mc  ?  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  is  the  same  with  the  first 
in  the  preceding  verse.  Thy  saying.,  the  fulfihuent  of  thy  promise. 
The  Hebrew  noun  is  derived  from  the  following  verb,  to  say.,  so 
as  to  say,  so  that  I  say.  It  might  also  be  translated,  but  with 
less  exactness,  while  I  say. 

83.  For  I  have  been  lil:e  a  bottle  in  the  smoke ;  thy  statutes  1 
have  not  forgotten.  The  bottle  meant  is  one  of  skin,  still  com- 
mon in  the  east.  The  comparison  is  not  entirely  clear.  Some 
suppose  that  the  blackening  and  shrivelling  eflPect  of  the  smoke 
upon  the  skin  is  simply  used  as  a  figure  for  distress.  Others 
understand  the  words  as  conveying  the  additional  idea,  that  as 
wine-skins  are  not  meant  to  be  involved  in  smoke,  so  distress 
is  not  the  normal  or  natural  condition  of  Grod's  people.  Others, 
assuming  that  the  skins  were  intentionally  smoked  by  way  of 
seasoning,  suppose  the  principal  idea  to  be  that  of  painful  but 
salutary  discipline.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  that  the  clause 
relates,  in  some  way,  to  the  afflictions,  either  of  the  chosen  people, 
or  of  individual  believers,  or  of  both.  The  meaning  of  the  last 
clause  is  that,  notwithstanding  these  afflictions,  the  sufferer  has 
not  forgotten  God's  commandments. 

84.  How  many  {are)  the  days  of  thy  servant  ?  When  wilt  thou 
execute  upon  my  persecutors  judgment  ?  The  shortness  of  life  is 
indirectly  urged  as  an  argument  for  speedy  action,      See  above. 


176  PSALM    CXIX. 

on  Ps.  xxxix.  5,  14  (4,  13.)  Ixxviii.  39.  Ixxxix.  48,49  (47,48.) 
Erecute  judgment^  or  do  justice^  as  in  Ps.  ix.  6  (4.) 

85.  Proud  {men)  dig  for  me  pits^  which  (are)  not  according  to 
Ihy  law.  The  presainptuous  sinners  (vs.  51,  69,  78)  who  are  his 
cnenjies  use  the  most  treacherous  means  for  his  destruction,  with- 
out regard  to  the  divine  command  or  prohibition.  See  above,  on 
Ps   vii.  16  (15.)  Ivii.  7  (6.) 

86.  All  thy  cowmaridme7its  (are)  f aith fulness  ;  falsely  do  thii^ 
persecute  me  ;  help  thou  me.  The  promises  annexed  to  God's 
commandments  are  infallible.  Falsely.,  as  in  v.  78,  falsehood., 
I.  e.  in  falsehood,  without  right  or  reason,  or  with  (by  means  of) 
falsehood.,  as  their  instrument.  The  verb  agrees  with  the  re- 
moter antecedent  (^persecutors)  in  v.  84, 

87.  They  almost  coiisumed  me  in  the  land.,  and  I  did  not  forsake 
thy  precepts.  The  verb  consumed  or  destroyed  (^^is)  and  the 
phrase  in  the  land  both  occur  in  reference  to  the  Canaanites, 
2  Chr.  viii.  8.  The  transhition  in  the  earth  (v.  19)  is  admissible, 
but  less  significant,  and  less  in  keeping  with  the  national  import 
of  the  psalm.  The  second  clause,  as  usual  in  such  cases,  de- 
clares that  notwithstanding  his  afflictions,  he  still  sought  to  know 
and  do  the  will  of  God. 

88.  According  to  thy  mercy  quicken  me.,  and  I  will  keep  the  testi- 
mony of  thy  mouth.  Restore  me  to  life,  or  save  me  alive,  as  in 
vs.  25,  37,  40.  Of  thy  mouth.,  as  in  vs.  11,  72.  This  closes 
the  eleventh  stanza  and  the  first  half  of  the  psalm.  Two  of  these 
eight  verses  begin  with  different  forms  of  the  verb  (nbs)  to  fail  oi 

faint.,  and  three  (including  v.  84)  with  the  particle  (a)  as  or  like 

89.  To  eternity.,  Jehovali,  thy  word  is  settled  in  heaven.     The 


PSALM    CXIX.  177 

translation,  eternal  (art  thou)  Lord^  is  contrary  to  U!=age,  whicl 
requiies  the  pronoun,  in  that  case,  to  be  expressed.  Settled^  liter- 
ally, made  to  stand,  i.  e.  unalterably  fixed.  In  heaven^  beyond 
the  reach  of  all  disturbing  causes.     See  above,  Ps.  ixxxix.  3  (2.) 

90.  To  generation  and  generation  (is)  thy  faithf\thiess  ;  thou 
hast  fixed  the  earth  and  it  stands.  Resolved  into  our  idiom,  the 
meaning  of  this  verse  is,  that  the  truth  of  God's  promises,  or  his 
fidelity  to  his  engagements,  is  secured  by  the  same  divine  per- 
fection, which  brought  the  world  at  first  into  existence,  and  has 
ever  since  preserved  it.  The  verb  translated  ^jrg^/  is  not  the  one 
employed  in  v.  89,  but  that  used  in  Ps.  vii.  10  (9.)  ix.  8  (7.) 
xl.  3  (2.)  xlviii.  9  (8.)  Ixviii.  10  (9.)  xc.  17.  xcix.  4.  cvii.  36.  The 
sense  prejpared  is  rare  and  doubtful,  and  too  feeble  for  this  con- 
text. 

91.  For  thy  judgments  they  stand  to  day,  for  all  are  thy  ser- 
vants. The  subject  of  the  first  verb,  though  obscure,  is  probably 
the  heavens  and  the  earth,  mentioned  in  the  two  preceding 
verses.  These  stand,  continue  to  exist,  for  the  execution  of 
God's  judgments,  with  reference  perhaps  to  the  destruction 
wrought  by  fire  from  heaven,  by  the  opening  of  the  earth,  etc. 
Ally  literally,  the  whole,  to  nav^  the  universe  ;  but  the  construc- 
tion of  this  with  the  plural  servants  would  be  harsh  in  English 
The  same  expression  is  applied  in  Ps.  xiv,  3  to  all  mankind,  but 
here  to  the  material  universe.  Thy  servants,  the  instruments 
employed  to  execute  thy  will. 

92.  Unless  thy  law  were  my  delights,  then  should  I  perish  in  my 
affildion.  The  verse  admits  also  of  the  construction  in  the  Eng- 
lish Bible,  which  refers  it  to  a  remoter  past,  and  represento  the 
danger  as  escaped,  whereas  the  first  construction  implies  a  con- 
fJaued  state  of  suffering.     The  law  of  God,  as  usual  in  this  psalm- 

8* 


178  PSALM    CXI  X. 

is  here  viewed,  not  as  a  body  of  mere  requisitions,  but  as  a  cove- 
nant, a  law  accompanied  by  promises. 

93.  To  eternity  I  will  not  forget  thy  precepts,  for  in  them  hast 
thou  quickened  me.  In  them,  or  hy  them,  which  is  really  included 
in  the  other,  meaning  in  the  practice  of  them  and  by  means  of 
them.      Quickened,  as  in  vs.  17,  25,  37,  40,  50. 

94.  Thine  am  I — save  me — for  thy  precepts  I  have  sought.  The 
original  form  of  the  first  clause  is,  to  thee  (am)  I.      Sought,  as 


95.  For  me  have  wicked  (men,)  waited,  to  destroy  me;  thy  testis 
monies  will  I  understand.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
Ivi.  7  (6.)  Consider,  though  correct,  is  an  inadequate  translation 
of  the  last  verb,  which  denotes  a  fixed  and  intelligent  attention. 
The  only  eifect  of  his  enemies'  malignant  plots  is  a  still  more 
serious  contemplation  of  God's  precepts. 

96.  To  all  perfection  I  have  seen  an  end,  (but)  wide  is  thy  com' 
mand  exceedingly.  By  end  we  are  not  to  understand  the  end  of 
its  existence,  but  the  limit  or  boundary  of  its  extent.  To  all 
other  perfection  (so  called)  I  can  see  an  end,  but  that  required 
and  embodied  in  thy  law  is  boundless.  All  the  verses  of  this 
stanza  except  one  (v.  92)  begin  with  the  preposition  (b)  to  o* 
for,  as  all  those  of  the  second  do  with  (n)  in. 

97.  How  I  love  thy  law  !  All  the  day  it  {is)  my  medifation,\.  e. 
the  subject  of  my  solitary  musing.  This  continual  representation 
of  God's  law,  not  as  a  mere  rule,  but  as  an  object  of  affection 
and  a  subject  of  perpetual  reflection,  is  characteristic  of  the 
Psalms,  and  appears  at  the  very  threshold  of  the  whole  collectif  d 
Soe  above,  on  Ps.  i.  2. 


PSALM    CXIX.  17ft 

PS.  (^Fore)  than  my  enemies  do  thy  commandvunts  make  vu 
wise;  for  to  eternity  it  is  mine  {or  to  me.)  This  is  the  con- 
Btruction  of  the  first  clause  preferred  by  the  latest  interpreters, 
although  it  requires  a  singular  verb  to  be  construed  with  a 
plural  ncun.  But  as  the  same  irregularity  exists  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  pronoun  in  the  second  clause,  however  the  first  may  be 
explained,  it  is  best  to  explain  both  anomalies  alike,  i.  e.  partly 
by  the  relative  position  of  the  words,  and  partly  by  the  aggregate 
sense  in  which  commandments  is  here  used  as  equivalent  to  law^ 
and  which,  agreeably  to  general  usage,  may  sufficiently  account 
for  its  constiuction  with  a  verb  and  pronoun  in  the  singular.  As 
analogous  cases  have  been  cited  2  Sam.  xxii.  23 — "  (as  forj  his 
statutes,  I  depart  not  from  it" — and  2  Kings  xvii.  22 — "  the  sins 
of  Jeroboam  which  he  did,  they  departed  not  from  it."  As  the 
sins  of  Jeroboam  were  concentrated  in  one,  so  the  statutes  of  Je- 
hovah might  be  viewed  as  one  great  comprehensive  precept.  The 
meaning  of  the  last  clause  is  not  merely,  it  is  ever  with  me^  but 
it  is  forever  to  me,  i.  e.  mine,  my  inalienable  indefeasible  pos- 
session.    See  above,  v.  94. 

99.  (More)  than  all  my  teachers  I  act  wisely,  for  thy  testimoniei 
[are)  a  meditation  to  me.  My  teachers,  my  superiors  in  natural 
and  worldly  wisdom.  As  the  Hebrew  verb  has  always  elsewhere 
an  active  meaning,  it  is  better  to  retain  it  here,  the  rather  as  it 
indicates  more  clearly  that  the  wisdom  which  he  boasts  was 
practical,  exper.mental.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ii.  10.  xiv.  2.  xxxii. 
1  (7.)  xli.  2(1.)  Ixiv.  10  (9.)  ci.  2.  The  essential  meaning  of 
the  last  clause  is  the  same  with  that  of  v.  97,  but  the  use  of  the 
expression  (^':^)  suggests  the  saiue  idea  of  possession  that  is  ex- 
pressed in  V.  08.  Thy  testimonies  are  mine,  belong  to  me,  as  an 
object  of  incessant  contemplation. 

100.  (More)  than  old  men  I  understand,  because  if}.y  p^erepti 
^  have  kept.     The  first  verb  is  the  same,  and  has  the  same  sensa 


180  PSALM    CXTX. 

as  in  V.  95.  The  ambiguous  Hebrew  word  (  f^^jTit  )  cannot  ba 
expressed  by  any  one  in  modern  English,  as  it  may  mean  either 
old  men  in  the  proper  sense,  whose  greater  experience  entitkKl 
them  to  be  considered  wiser  than  their  juniors  ;  or  the  onicntSy 
those  of  former  generations,  who  are  popularly  looked  upon  as 
wiser  than  their  children  and  successors.  One  of  these  senses  suits 
the  personal,  the  other  the  national  design  and  application  of  the 
psalm.  In  either  case,  there  is  really  no  boast  of  superior  intelli- 
gence, as  a  distinguishing  endowment,  but  merely  an  assertion,  in 
a  striking  form,  that  the  highest  wisdom  is  to  do  the  will  of  God. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  cxi.  10. 

101.  From  every  evil  path  I  refrain  my  feet^  to  the  intent  that 
1  may  keep  thy  word.  Of  the  two  ideas  conveyed  by  ivord.,  that 
of  command  is  here  predominant,  but  not  exclusive  of  the  other. 
To  keep  God's  word  is  primarily  to  obey  his  precept,  but  second- 
arily to  verify  his  pro*mise.  This  verse  teaches  clearly  that  the 
keeping  of  God's  word  is  something  incompatible  with  treading 
any  evil  path. 

102.  From  thy  judgments  I  do  not  depart,  because  thou  guidest 
me.  AVe  have  here  another  word  of  comprehensive  meaning,  in 
which  sometimes  one  phase  of  the  essential  idea  is  presented  prom- 
inently, sometimes  another.  The  divine  judgments,  in  this  psalm, 
are  always  the  external  exhibitions  of  the  divine  righteousness,  in 
word  or  deed,  by  precept  or  by  punishment.  Here  of  course  the 
former  are  especially  intended.  The  figure  of  a  way,  though  not 
expressed,  is  still  indicated  by  the  verbs  depart  and  guide.  As  to 
the  latter,  see  above,  on  v.  33.  From  this  verse  it  is  doubly  clear 
that  he  claims  nothing  as  belonging  to  himself,  or  as  accomplisihed 
in  his  own  strength,  but  ascribes  all  to  the  power  and  grace  of  God. 
The  preterite  forms,  in  this  and  the  preceding  verse,  merely  make 
the  past  more  prominent  than  the  future,  as  an  accessory  idea  to 
the  present. 


PSALM    CXIX.  181 

1G3.  How  sweet  to  my  jialate  are  thy  sayings^  sweeter  thaf 
hoTicy  to  my  mouth!  As  the  Hebrew  verb  occurs  only  here,  it  is 
better  to  follow  the  rabbinical  tradition  and  the  ancient  versions, 
which  make  the  idea  to  be  that  of  sweetness,  than  the  uncertain 
etymological  deductions  of  the  lexicons,  which  make  it  to  be  that 
of  svwothncss.  The  passive  form  may  possibly  denote  that  the 
psalmist's  relish  for  God's  word  was  not  a  native  but  acquired 
taste  Some  interpreters  unreasonably  give  to  word  the  sense  of 
law,  excluding  that  of  promise  altogether,  whereas  both  must 
unavoidably  have  been  suggested  to  a  Hebrew  reader.  The 
original  word  means  neither  more  nor  less  than  that  which  God 
has  said.  The  figures  of  this  verse  are  borrowed  from  Ps.  xix. 
11  (10.) 

104.  From  thy  precepts  I  get  understanding  ;  therefore  I  hate 
every  path  of  falsehood.  The  common  version  of  the  first  verb 
comes  as  near  to  the  exact  sense  of  the  original  as  any  other 
English  word  or  phrase.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  the  same  that 
occurs  above,  vs.  95,  100.  As  he  knows  no  wisdom  independent 
of  the  truth,  he  hates  falsehood  as  the  height  of  folly,  and  regu- 
lates his  life  accordingly.  All  the  verses  of  this  stanza  begin 
either  with  the  exclamation  (n>3)  how,  or  with  the  preposition 
(l^)  f''"^^-)  ihan. 

105.  A  lantern  for  my  foot  is  thy  uwrd,  and  a  light  for  my 
path.  To  the  figure  of  a  path,  so  frequently  presented  in  this  psalm 
already,  is  now  added  that  of  a  light,  to  make  it  plain  amidst 
surrounding  darkness.  The  parallelism  is  completed  by  adding 
the  generic  term,  light,  to  the  specific  one,  la7np  or  lantern.  For 
my  foot,  i.  e.  to  guide  it.     For  my  path,  i.  e.  to  show  it. 


106.  I  have   sworn,  and  will  perforin  (my  oa.th),to  observe 
udgments  of  thy  r^'ghtcousness.      The  second  verb  occurs  ab 


ove. 


jg2  PSALM    CXIX. 

V.  23,  in  il?  primary  sense  of  raising  up,  or  cadsing  to  stand  up" 
ri«^ht.  In  tho  later  books,  particularly  that  of  Esther,  it  occurs 
very  often  in  the  sense  of  ratifying  or  confirming,  and  might  here 
be  rendered,  I  confirm  (my  oath  already  made.)  In  either  case, 
it  merely  strengthens  the  expression  which  precedes  it.  Observe^ 
keep,  or  obey,  as  in  vs.  4,  5,  8,  etc.  Thy  righteous  judgments^ 
as  in  vs.  7,  62.  Considered  as  the  language  of  the  whole  church 
or  nation,  this  verse  may  have  reference  to  the  covenant  entered 
into  at  Mount  Sinai  and  renewed  in  the  plains  of  Moab,  while  as 
a  personal  profession,  it  has  its  counterpart  in  the  experience  of 
every  true  believer. 

107.  I  am  afflicted  even  to  extremity  ;  Jehovah^  quicken  me  ac- 
cording to  thy  word.  That  the  first  clause  does  not  relate 
merely  to  past  sufferings  {I  was  afflicted)^  seems  to  follow  from 
the  prayer  in  the  last  clause,  which  may,  however,  be  understood 
as  a  petition  for  deliverance  from  the  deadening  eflPects  of  a 
calamity  already  past,  such  as  the  Babylonish  exile,  the  enfeeb- 
linf^'  influence  of  which  notwithstanding  incidental  benefits,  con- 
tinued to  be  felt  for  ages.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew,  with  the 
idea  of  suffering,  always  suggests  that  of  humiliation.  I^ven  to 
txiremity^  the  same  words  that  occur  above,  in  vs.  8,43,  51. 
The  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is,  bestow  upon  me  that  life  which 
is  promised  in  the  Law  to  those  who  keep  it.  Sec  Lev.  xviii.  5. 
Deut.  vi.  24. 

108.  The  free-lain  offerings  of  my  mouth  accept,  I  pray  thee, 
'  jh  Jehovah,  and  thy  judgments  teach  me.    For  the  meaning  of  the 

first  Hebrew  word,  see  above,  on  Ps.  ex.  3.  It  is  here  a  figure 
for  prayers  and  praises,  as  appears  from  the  addition  of  my 
mouth.  The  verb  accept  is  one  continually  used  in  the  Law,  with 
respect  to  sacrificial  offerings.  See  above,  on  Ps.  li.  18  (16),  and 
compare  Ps.  1.  14.  The  recurrence  of  the  prayer,  thy  judgments 
teach  me,  shows   that  the  writer's  object  was  to  make  everything 


PSALM    CXIX.  J83 

tend  to  this  conclusion,  and  that  however  a  sentence  ma}'  be(/in 
It  cannot  be  complete  without  a  repetition  of  this  favourite  idea! 

109.  My  soul  is  in  my  hand  always,  and  (jet)  thy  law  I  have 
aot  forgotten.  The  sense  of  the  strong  figure  in  the  first  clause 
IS  clear  from  Judg.  xii.  13.  1  Sam.  xix.  5.  xxviii.  21,  where  he 
who  risks  or  jeopards  his  own  life,  in  war  or  otherwise,  is  said  to 
put  his  soul  into  his  hand,  as  if  to  have  it  ready  to  give  up  or 
throw  away  at  any  moment.  "  The  same  expression  reappears  in 
Job  xiii.  14.  The  meaning  of  the  whole  verse  is,  that  even  amidst 
the  deadly  perils  which  environed  him,  he  still  remembered  the 
divine  law,  as  an  object  of  supreme  aifection. 

110.  Wicked  (men)  have  laid  a  snare  for  me,  and  (yetj  from 
thy  precepts  I  have  not  strayed.  Laid  for  me,  literally,  given  to 
me,  as  we  might  speak  of  a  snare  as  presented  to  a  person,  i.  e 
set  before  him.  The  devices  and  temptations  of  the  wicked  were 
as  powerless  as  all  the  other  causes  previously  mentioned,  in  lead- 
ing him  away  from  the  path  of  truth  and  safety. 

Ill    /  inherit  thy  testimonies  to  eternity,  for  the  joy  of  mv  heat 
(are)  they.     The  first  verb  means  to  take  as  a   possession  or  in 
Leritance,   and   is  here  used  in   allusion  to  those   places  of  the 
Pentateuch  where  it  is  applied  to  the  possession  of  the  promised 
land.     See  for  example  Ex.  xxiii.  30. 

112.  I  incline  my  heart  to  do  thy  statutes  to  eternity,  (even  to) 
the.  end.  The  pi-eterite  form  of  the  first  verb  represents  tho 
efibrt  as  already  made  but  still  continued.  For  the  meanino-  of 
the  last  word,  see  above,  on  v.  33.  This  stanza,  like  the  eighth, 
has  a  difiiirent  initial  word  in  every  verse. 


113    Waver ers  I  liate,  and  thy  law  1  love.     The  first  word   in 


184  PSALM    CXIX. 

Hebrew  occurs  only  here.  According  to  the  most  probable  ety 
mology,  it  means  men  of  divided  and  unstable  minds.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xii.  3  (2),  and  compare  James  i.  8. 

114.  My  Jiiding  jplace  and  my  shield  (art)  thou — for  thy  word 
I  waitj  i.  e.  for  the  fulfilment  of  thy  promise.  See  above,  on 
V.  81.  The  first  word  in  the  verse  means  properly  a  secret 
or  a  secret  place.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxvii.  5.  xxxii.  7.  Ixi. 
5  (4.)  xci.  1.  The  shield  is  a  favourite  figure  for  protection 
See  above,  on  Ps.  iii.  4  (3.)  vii.  11  (10.)  xviii.  3,  31  (2,  30.; 

115.  Depart  from  me^  evil  doers,  and  I  will  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God.  The  first  clause  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  vi.  9  (8.) 
The  meaning  in  both  cases  seems  to  be,  that  he  has  no  fear  of 
the'v  enmity.  The  reason  given  in  this  case  is,  because  he  is  re- 
solved to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  is  therefore  sure  of  his  protection. 

116.  Uphold  me  according  to  thy  promist,  and  let  me  live,  and 
let  me  not  he  ashamed  of  my  hope.  Promise,  literally,  saying,  that 
which  thou  hast  said,  as  in  v.  82.  Let  me  live  might  also 
be  tianslated  and  I  shall  live,  or  paraphrased  that  I  may  live. 
See  above,  on  v.  17.  Of  my  hope,  literally  from  my  hope,  which 
some  understand  in  a  privative  sense,  away  from,  deprived  of, 
without  my  hope,  i.  e.  without  having  it  fulfilled.  Ashamed  of 
my  hope  does  not  convey  the  sense  so  fully  as  shamed  in  my  hope., 
frustrated,  disappointed,  in  my  expectations. 

117.  Sustain  me  and  I  shall  he  saved,  and  I  will  look  to  thy 
ftatutes  always.  The  first  verb  is  nearly  synonymous  with  that 
at  the  beginning  of  v.  116,  and  the  same  that  occurs  above,  Ps. 
XX.  3  (2.)  xli  4  (3.)  xciv.  18.  civ.  15.  /  shall  be  saved,  or  let 
me  he  saved,  or  that  I  may  he  saved,  precisely  as  in  the  precedino 
verse.     The  strict  future  sense  is  here  to  be  preferred,  as  the  verV 


PSALM    CXIX.  185 

is  not  both  preceded  and  followed  by  a  prayer  as  in  the  other 
case.  Look  to^  have  respect  to,  regard,  as  the  rule  of  my  con- 
duct. The  construction  of  the  verb  and  preposition  is  the  same 
as  in  Ex.  v.  9. 

118.  Thou  desjpisest  all  (those)  straying  from  thy  statutes^  for  a 
lie  (is)  their  deceit.  They  are  objects  not  only  of  disapprobation  but 
of  scorn,  because  in  attempting  to  deceive  others  they  deceive 
themselves.     Their  deception  of  others  is  a  lie  to  themselves. 

119.  (As)  dross  hast  thou  made  to  cease  all  the  wicked  of  the 
mrth  ;  therefore  I  lore  thy  testimonies.  The  purifying  tendency 
of  God's  judgments  is  itself  a  reason  for  delighting  in  them.  The 
verb  in  the  first  clause,  which  occurs  in  its  primary  sense  in  Ps. 
viii.  3  (2),  is  applied  to  the  purging  out  of  leaven  at  the  passover 
(Ex.  xii.  15)  and  to  the  extirpation  of  wild  beasts  (Lev.  xxvi.  6. 

120.  My  flesh  shudders  from  dread  of  thee^  and  of  thy  judgments 
I  am  afraid.  The  first  verb  in  Hebrew  occurs  only  here,  but  is 
universally  admitted  to  denote  some  bodily  efi"ect  of  fear,  such  as 
trembling,  shuddering,  or  the  instinctive  creeping  of  the  flesh. 
Afraid  of^  in  the  last  clause,  does  not  fully  represent  the  Hebrew 
phrase,  which  denotes  not  mere  apprehension  of  something  still 
future  or  absent,  but  terror  in  view  of  something  actually  present 
Judgments  has  its  usual  wide  sense,  but  with  special  reference,  ic 
this  case,  to  God's  penal  visitations.  Here  ends  the  fifteenth 
stanza,  in  which,  as  in  the  one  before  it,  every  verse  has  a  dis- 
tinct initial  word. 


121.  /  do  justice  and  righteousness  ;  leave  me  not  to  my  op' 
prt'ssors.  The  first  verb  is  in  the  past  tense,  I  have  done  and  J 
stili  do.  Do  justice,  not  in  the  restricted  or  forensic  sense  of  re- 
dressing wrong  judicially,  but  in  the  wid^  sense  of  executing  jus- 
tice or  reducing  it  to  practice. 


/ 


IjjS  PSALM    CXIX. 

122.  Be  surety  for  thy  servant  for  good  ;  let  not  the  proud  '>p 
press  me.  The  sense  and  construction  of  the  first  verb  are  pre- 
cisely the  same  as  in  Gen.  xliii.  9.  xliv.  32.  Compare  Job  xvii.  3, 
and  see  ray  note  on  Isai.  xxxviii.  14.  It  means  not  merely  take 
me  under  thy  protection,  but  become  answerable  for  me,  stand 
between  me  and  those  who,  under  any  pretext,  even  that  of  legal 
right,  may  seek  to  oppress  me.  For  good,  i.  e.  for  my  good,  for 
my  safety  or  deliverance.  Compare  Deut  vi.  24.  x.  13.  xxx.  9. 
This  is  noted  in  the  masora  as  the  only  verse  in  which  the  word 
of  Grod,  or  some  equivalent  expression,  is  not  found. 

123.  My  eyes  fail  for  thy  salvation^  and  for  the  word  of  thy 
righteousness.  With  the  first  clause  compare  v.  82.  The  word 
of  thy  righteousness,  thy  word  of  righteousness,  thy  righteous 
word,  the  promise  of  a  righteous  God  who  cannot  lie. 

124.  Deal  with  thy  servant  according  to  thy  mercy ,  and  thy 
statutes  teach  me.  The  first  words  strictly  mean  do  with  thy  ser- 
vant, which  may  be  an  ellipsis  for  do  good  to  him,  or  deal  kindly 
with  him,  as  in  v.  65.     See  above,  on  Ps.  cix.  21. 

125.  Thy  servant  {am)  1 ;  make  me  understand  and  let  me  know 
thy  testimonies.  That  thy  servant  is  not  a  mere  periphrasis  for  1 
or  me  in  v.  122  and  elsewhere,  appears  from  the  first  clause  of 
the  verse  before  us,  where  it  constitutes  the  predicate  of  the  pro- 
position. In  the  second  clause,  we  hive  the  same  choice  of  con- 
structions as  in  vs.  1 16,  1 17.  Let  me  know.,  or  {then)  I  shall  know^ 
or  that  I  may  know,  all  implying  one  another,  and  amounting  to 
the  same  thing. 

126.  (It  is)  time  for  Jehovah  to  do — they  break  thy  law.  The 
absolute  use  of  do,  without  an  object,  or  leaving  it  to  be  suggested 
by  the  context,  is  a  peculiar  Hebrew  idiom.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
22  (2L)      We  may  here   supply  justice  from  v    121  (compare 


PSALM    CXIX.  Ig7 

y.  84)  ;  or  more.  Indefinitely,  whatever  should  be  done  ;  or  more 
indefinitely  still,  U  is  time  to  do  (something),  i.  e.  to  act,  which  is 
substantially  the  meaning  of  the  common  version  {time  to  work.) 
Retaining  the  order  of  the  Hebrew  words,  the  sense  would  seem 
to  be,  it  is  time  to  do  (something)  for  Jehovah,  i.  e.  for  his  people 
to  do  it.  But  the  direct  address  to  God  in  the  last  clause,  and 
the  whole  tenor  of  the  context,  make  it  more  probable,  that  God 
himself  is  here  entreated  to  do  something  for  the  vindictstion  of 
bis  broken  law.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  is  to  be  construed 
indefinitely  ;  they,  i.  e.  men  in  general,  or  the  wicked  in  par- 
ticular.    With  this  clause  compare  Isai.  xxiv.  5. 

127.  Therefore  I  love  thy  commandments  {more)  than  gold  and 
(more)  than  fine  gold.  The  first  word  refers  not  to  the  immediately 
preceding  verse,  but  to  the  whole  previous  description  of  tho 
excellence  of  God's  commandments.  The  comparison  in  the  last 
clause,  like  that  in  v.  103,  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  xix.  11  (10.) 

128.  Therefore  all  (thy)  jprecejpts  (as  to)  all  (things)  /  thintc 
right  ;  every  way  of  falsehood  do  I  hate.  The  therefore  is  co- 
ordinate with  that  in  the  preceding  verse,  and  to  be  explained  iu 
the  same  manner.  Both  were  probably  occasioned  by  the  alpha- 
betical arrangement  here  requiring  an  initial  ayin.  Precepts  of 
course  mean  those  of  God,  as  word  means  his  word  in  v.  49. 
The  construction  here  is  very  foreign  from  our  idiom,  and  by  no 
means  easily  translated  into  it.  The  literal  meaning  of  the 
words  is,  all  precepts  of  all,  which  some  understand  to  mean  of 
all  kinds,  as  in  v.  14  and  Ps.  cxviii.  10.  But  others  deny  that 
all  has  this  sense,  even  in  the  places  cited,  and  explain  it  here  to 
mean  concerning  all,  on  all  subjects.  Ihe  clause  is  then  con- 
demnatory of  all  partial  distinctions  between  God's  command- 
ments, which  may  be  the  way  of  falsehood  specially  intended  in 
the  last  clause.  Compare  Matt.  v.  17 — 19.  The  verb  iu  tha 
first    clause    always   elsewhere   means   to   make   straight,    to    go 


188  PSALM    CXIX. 

straight,  or  to  direct  aright ;  but  the  best  interpreters  agree  in 
making  it  here  mean,  to  think  right  or  approve.  It  is  worthy  of 
remark,  that  as  to  all  these  points,  the  true  sense  of  this  difficult 
clause  seems  to  be  given  in  the  English  Bible.  With  the  last 
clause  compare  v.  104.  In  the  sixteenth  stanza,  which  here 
closes,  two  of  the  verses  begin  with  (\3-^5)  therefore,  and  two 
with  diflerent  forms  of  the  verb  (m^^)  to  do. 


129.  Wonderful  (are)  thy  testivionies  ;  therefore  my  soul  kee-pdh 
them.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  plural  form  of  that  in  Ps. 
Ixxvii.  12,  15  (11,  14)  Ixxviii.  12.  Ixxxviii.  11  (10),  and  proper- 
ly means  wooiders,  i.  e.,  miracles  or  prodigies  of  moral  excellence. 
My  soul,  not  merely  I,  but  I  with  all  my  heart  or  soul. 

130.  The  opening  of  thy  tcords  enlightens,  making  the  simple 
understand.  The  common  version  of  the  first  word  (entrance)  is 
inaccurate,  and  the  one  here  given,  thoygh  exact  is  ambiguous. 
The  clause  does  not  refer  to  the  mechanical  openino;  of  the  book 
by  the  reader,  but  to  the  spiritual  opening  of  its  tnie  sense,  by 
divine  illumination,  to  the  mind  which  naturally  cannot  discern 
it.  For  the  Scriptural  usage  of  the  word  translated  simple,  see 
above,   on   Ps.  xix.  8  (7.)   cxvi.  6. 

131.  My  month  I  stretch  and  pant,  because  for  thy  command- 
nients  1  long.  The  first  verb  usually  means  to  gape  or  yciDn,\)Vii 
these  verbs  are  intransitive  in  English,  and  cannot  be  construed 
with  the  noun  directly.     For  the  meaning  of  the  next  ve>'b,  see 

-above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  2,  3  (1,  2.)  Ivii.  4  (3.)  Both  are  figurative 
expressions  of  the  idea  conveyed  directly  by  the  third  verb,  which 
occurs  nowhere  else,  but  differs  oiflly  in  a  single  letter  from  the 
verb  of  the  same  meaning  used  in  vs.  40,  174,  which  also  is 
peculiar  to  this  psalm. 

1  /i2     Turn  to  me,  and  he  gracious  to  me,  as  (is)  due  to  the.  lovers 


PSALM    CXIX 


189 


of  tny  name.  The  first  verb  does  not  mean  to  return  or  come 
back,  but  to  turn  round  to  or  towards  an  object  from  which  the 
looks  have  been  averted.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cii.  18  (17.)  Bi 
gracious  or  merciful^  show  favour  to  or  favour  me.  As  is  due  io, 
or  according  to  the  right  of^  the  lovers  etc.  The  Hebrew  word 
(t^B-r?;)  has  here  the  meaning  of  the  Latin  y?^5,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxxi. 
5,  (4.)  For  the  meaning  of  the  lovers  of  thy  7iame,  see  above, 
on  Ps.  V.  12  (11.) 

133.  My  steps  estallish  by  thy  icord^  and  let  not  any  iniquity 
rule  over  me.  Establish,  i.  e.  make  firm,  cause  me  to  walk  safe- 
ly. See  above,  on  Ps.  xl.  3  (2.)  By  thy  word  or  saying^ 
what  thou  hast  said,  i.  e.  by  the  fulfilment  of  thy  promise.  The 
last  clause  might  seem  to  be  a  prayer  against  the  power  of  his 
)wn  corruption  ;  but  the  frequent  use  of  the  Hebrew  noun  to  de- 
mote the  mutual  injustice  of  men,  together  with  the  language  of 
ihe  next  verse,  seems  to  show  that  this  too  is  a  prayer  against  op- 
pression. The  verb  in  this  clause  is  applied  by  Nehemiah  (v.  15  ) 
to  the  oppression  suffered  by  the  restored  Jews.  The  Arabic 
verb  of  the  same  form  is  the  root  of  the  royal  title  Sultan. 

134.  Redeem,  me  from  the  oppression  of  man,  and  I  will  keep 
thy  precepts.  These  two  verses  are  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the 
trials  and  temptations  of  the  Jews  at  the  time  of  the  Restora- 
tion. The  form  of  the  last  verb  denotes  strong  desire  and  de- 
termination. 

135.  Let  thy  face  shine  upon  thy  servant.^  and  teach  me  thy 
statutes.  The  prayer  of  the  first  clause  is  the  same  as  that 
which  forms  the  burden  of  Ps.  Ixxx.  (4,  8,  20.)  Thy  servant, 
\.  e.  me  who  am  thy  servant ;  hence  the  first  person  is  immedi- 
ately  resumed. 

136.  Streams  of  witer  run  down  my  eyes,  for  (that)  they  do 


190  PSALM    CXIX. 

not  htjp  thy  law.  In  the  Hebrew  of  the  first  clause,  tyt  is  tha 
subject,  not  the  object,  of  the  verb.  See  the  same  cr  similar 
idiomatic  constructions,  Jer.  ix.  17.  xiii.  17.  Lam.  i.  16.  iii.  48. 
Ezek.  vii.  17.  The  preposition  in  the  last  clause  is  to  ba 
construed  with  the  rela^tive  understood,  in  the  sense  of  for 
Ihat^  forasmuch  as,  because.  The  complete  phrase  occurs  above, 
V.  49.  They  do  7iot,  i.  e.,  men  indefinitely,  others.  Here  ends 
the  seventeenth  stanza,  all  the  verses  of  which  begin  with  different 
Hebrew  words. 


137.  Righteous  {art)  thou^  oh  Jehovah^  and  just  thy  judgments. 
The  English  and  the  ancient  versions  make  the  second  adjective 
agree  with  judgments.^  although  different  in  number.  This  might 
be  justified  by  making  (^'z^"')  just  a  neuter  adjective  or  substan- 
tive, as  in  Ps.  cxi.  8.  It  is  much  more  simple  and  agreeable  to 
usage  to  apply  the  epithet  to  God  himself,  as  in  Deut.  xxxii.  4, 
and  explain  thy  judgments  as  a  kind  of  adverbial  or  qualifying 
phrase,  very  common  in  Hebrew,  but  in  our  idiom  requiring  the 
insertion  of  a  preposition,  upright  {in  or  as  to)  thy  judgments. 

138.  Thou  hast  commanded  righteousness  thy  testimonies.,  and 
faithfulness — exceedingly .  This  is  another  elliptical  construction, 
wholly  foreign  from  our  idiom.  Some  resolve  it  by  supplying  to 
or  to  he  :  thou  hast  commanded  thy  testimonies  to  (or  to  be) 
righteousness,  i.  e.  hast  made  them  righteous.  It  is  simpler, 
however,  and  more  like  the  syntax  of  the  verse  preceding,  to 
supply  zVi  or  i^i/A ;  thou  hast  commanded  (in)  righteousness  thy 
testimonies,  etc.  The  very  or  exceedingly  may  belong  to  faithful- 
ness alone,  or  to  the  whole  proposition.  The  mention  of  faithful- 
ness shows  that  the  idea  of  God's  promise  is  included  in  his  testi- 
mony     With  this  verse  compare  v.  86,  and  Ps.  xciii.  5. 

139  My  zeal  consumes  me,  because  my  adversaries  forget  thy 
word.     The  verbs  strictly  mean,  Arts  consumed,  have  forgotten,  but 


PSALM    CXIX.  I'Jl 

without  exclui^ing  tlie  present,  as  they  might  seem  to  do,  if  ren- 
dered literally  into  English.  Ze'//,  jjalous  regard  for  God's  author- 
ity and  honour.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  10,  (9.)  The  first  He- 
brew verb  occurs  above,  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  17  (16.)  The  last  clause 
pives  the  reason  or  occasion  of  his  jealousy.  Adversaries^  perse- 
cutors or  oppressors.  Thy  word  includes  thy  promise  to  me  and 
thy  command  to  them. 

140.  Pit,re  (is)  thy  word — exceedingly^  and  thy  servant  loves  it. 
Pure,  literally,  purged,  tried,  assayed,  refined,  like  precious  metal. 
8ee  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  3 1  (30. )  Sayings  as  elsewhere  in  this  psalm 
alternates  with  word^  and  has  the  same  comprehensive  meaning. 
Thy  servant^  I  as  thy  servant,  and  because  I  am  so.  Loves  and 
has  long  loved. 

141.  Little  (am)  I  and  despised^  (but)  thy  precepts  do  I  not  for- 
get. However  proudly  or  however  justly  I  may  be  despised,  1 
can  still  lay  claim  to  one  distinction,  that  I  have  not,  like  my  de- 
spisers,  forgotten  God's  commandments.  These  words  are  pecu- 
liarly appropriate  to  Israel,  as  a  body,  at  the  Restoration. 

142.  Thy  righteousness  (is)  right  forever ,  and  thy  law  (is)  truth. 
Right  is  here  used  as  a  noun,  in  order  to  vary  the  expression  in 
English  as  in  Hebrew,  where  two  cognate  forms  (np~l'2  and  pii:) 
are  employed.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  ciii.  17.  cxi.  3. 
The  idea  here  is,  that  God's  rectitude  is  not  capricious  or  mutable, 
as  might  be  inferred  from  the  afflictions  of  his  people,  but  un- 
changeable and  to  eternity.  Thy  law,  both  in  its  precepts  and  its 
promises,  is  true,  is  truth  itself. 

143.  Distress  and  anguish  seize  (or  seized)  me;  thy  command' 
nunts  (are)  my  delight.    Even  in  the  midst  of  suffering,  thy  com 
piandments  not  only  solace  me  but  make  me  happy.    Seize^  Uter- 


192  PSALM    CXIX. 

ally  Jind^  as  in  Ps.  cxvi.  3.      Delight^  literally,  delights^  a  succe- 
daueum  for  all  other  pleasures.     See  above,  on  v.  24. 

144.  Right  (are)  thy  testimonies  to  eternity  ;  make  me  uvder- 
stand,,  and  I  shall  live.  Hight^  righteousness,  the  second  of  the 
nouns  used  in  v.  142.  Make  me  understand  (them),,  i.  e  ,  these 
thy  testimonies.  And  (then)  I  shall  lire,  which  includes  let  me 
(ire  and  that  I  may  live.  See  above,  on  vs.  17,  116.  Three 
of  the  verses  in  this  stanza  begin  with  derivatives  of  the  root  pl^. 


145.  I  invoke  (thee)  with  a  whole  heart — answer  me.,  Jehovah — 
thy  statutes  will  I  keep.  I  have  invoked  thy  favour  with  a  heart- 
felt sense  of  its  necessity ;  grant  it  to  me,  according  to  my 
prayer,  and  I  am  fully  resolved  to  keep  thy  statutes. 

146.  I  invoke  thee — save  me — and  I  will  observe  thy  testimonies. 
The  pronoun  implied  in  the  preceding  verse  is  here  expressed. 
The  augmented  form  of  the  last  verb  is  emphatic  or  intensive.  I 
WILL  observe  thy  testimonies,  i.  e.  obey  thy  precepts  and  believe 
thy  promises. 

147.  T  come  before  (thee)  in  the  (morning)  twilight.,  and  1  cry 
to  {thee)  ;  for  thy  words  do  I  wait.  The  first  verb  has  the  same 
sense  as  in  Ps.  xcv.  2.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  14  (13.)  Early 
prayer  implies  importunate  desire.  The  twilight  meant  is  that  of 
morning,  as  in  1  Sam.  xxx.  17.  Job  vii.  4.  The  second  verb 
means  to  cry  for  help.  Its  augmented  form  is  common  in  verbs 
of  speaking,  and  supposed  by  some  grammaiians  to  denote  motion 
or  direction  towards  the  object  of  address,  like  the  local  or  di- 
rective n  in  nouns.  See  Judg.  vi.  10.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  15.  Neh, 
V.  7.  xiii.  11,  17,  21.  Dan.  ix.  4. 

148.  My  eyes  anticipate  the  watches.,  to  muse  of  thy  promise. 
Before  the  stated  hours  of  vigil  he  is  awake  and  ready  for  devout 


PSALM    CXIX.  193 

meditation.      To  muse,  that  I  may  muse  or  meditate.    See  above 
on  V.  Q2^  and  compare  Ps.  Ixiii.  7  (G).  Ixxvii.  5  (4.)  Lam.  ii.  IM. 

149.  My  voice  hear  according  to  thy  mercy ^  oh  Jehovah^  accord- 
ing to  thy  judgments  quicken  vie.  According  to  the  promises  an- 
nexed to  thy  commandments. 

150.  Near  are  those  pursuing  crime  ;  from  thy  law  they  are  far 
off.  Pttrsm'rz^,  eagerly  devising  and  attempting.  Crime.,  malicious 
mischief,  as  in  Ps.  xxvi.  10.  Tn  the  last  clause  there  is  a  kind  of 
play  upon  the  words  far  and  near.,  as  if  he  had  said,  the  nearer 
they  are  to  harming  me,  the  further  are  they  from  obeying  thee. 

151.  Near  (art)  thou.,  Jehovah^  and  all  thy  commandments  are 
truth.  The  lusus  verborum  may  be  said  to  be  continued.  As 
they  are  near  to  injure,  thou  art  near  to  save,  and  all  thy  pro- 
mises to  those  who  do  thy  will  are  true,  are  truth  itself. 

152.  Long  have  I  knoion  from  thy  testimonies  (themselves),  that 
thou  unto  eternity  hast  founded  them.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew 
is  a  noun  used  adverbially,  as  in  Ps.  Iv.  20  (19.)  The  precepts 
of  the  law  describe  themselves  as  everlasting.  See  Ex.  xxvii.  21. 
xxviii.  43.  xxxvi.  21.  Lev.  iii.  17.  vi.  11.  vii.  36.  Num.  x.  8.  Thi? 
concludes  the  nineteenth  stanza,  two  of  the  initial  words  in  whici 
are  derivatives  of  i^^p,  two  of  nip,  three  of  Dip. 


153.  See  my  stiff ering  and  deliver  me  ;  for  thy  law  I  forget 
not.  The  first  petition,  in  the  same  words,  occurs  above,  Ps. 
IX.  14  (13.)  The  first  verb  originally  signifies  to  extricate  or  dis- 
embarrass. I  forget  7wt.,  and  have  not  forgotten,  both  of  which 
ideas  would  be  necessarily  suggested  to  a  Hebrew  reader. 

154.  Strive  my  strife  and  redeem,  me  ;  as  to  thy  word,  qmcken 
me.     With   the   first  clause   compare  Ps.  xliii  1.  Ixix.  19  (18.) 

VOL.    III.  9 


194  PSALM    CXIX. 

At  to^  ace  rding  to,   in  fulfilment  of,  thy  saying^  that  which  thou 
hast  said,  thj  promise.     See  above,  v.  41. 

155.  Far  from  the  wicked  {is)  salvation  ;  because  thy  statutes  they 
seek  not.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  masculine  adjective,  and 
does  not  agree  regularly  with  salvation,  which  is  feminine,  but  is 
construed  as  a  neuter,  something  far,  as  the  first  word  in  v.  72 
means  a  good  thing.  Seek  not.,  and  have  not  sought,  i.  e.  desired 
either  to  know  or  do  thy  will.     See  above,  on  v.  45. 

156.  Many  (or  manifold  are)  thy  compassions,  oh  Jehovah,  ac- 
cording to  thy  judgments  quicken  me.  That  the  first  word  means 
many,  not  great,  in  this  connection,  seems  clear  from  the  next 
verse.     According  to  thy  judgments,  as  in  v.  149. 

157.  Many  (are)  my  persecutors  and  oppressors  ;  from,  thy  tesli 
monies  I  decline  not.  The  second  noun  is  often  rendered  adver- 
saries, as  in  V.  139,  but  it  may  here  be  taken  in  its  primary  sense, 
which  is  near  akin  to  that  of  the  preceding  word.  /  decline  noty 
and  have  not  declined,  deviated,  swerved. 

158.  I  see  traitors  and  am  sickened — {those)  who  thy  saying  keep 
"lot.  The  wicked  are  called  traitors  a^rainst  God,  their  rightful 
sovereign,  as  in  Ps.  xxv.  8.  The  first  verb  is  the  reflexive  form 
of  that  in  Ps.  xcv.  10,  I  sicken  (or  disgust)  myself.  The  common 
version  of  the  relative  (because)  conveys  an  idea  not  expressed 
but  understood.  There  is  no  need  of  departing  from  the  strict 
Bense  of  the  pronoun.      See  and  have  seen,  keep  and  have  kept. 

159.  See  how  I  love  thy  p'.tcepts,  Jehovah;  according  to  thy 
mercy,  quicken  me.  See  how,  literally  see  that,  which  is  tanti- 
uiount  to  saying,  thou  scest  that. 

160.  7''he  head  of  thy  word  (is)  truth,  and  to  eternity  (is)  ei^rt 


PSALM    CXIX.  ]95 

yudgment  of  ihy  righteousness.  Head  is  bj  some  explained  as 
meaning  the  sum  total,  by  others  as  synonymous  with  the  coo-nate 
form  (r.^rsn.)  i"^  Ps.  cxi.  10.  Every  judgment  of  thy  righteous^ 
ness,  every  one  of  thy  righteous  judgments.  Three  verses  of  the 
twentieth  stanza  begin  with  some  form  of  the  verb  (nj^^)  to  see. 


161.  Princes  persecute  me  without  cause — and  at  thy  words  my 
heart  is  awed.  Both  Hebrew  verbs  are  in  the  past  tense.  The 
first  verb,  like  its  representative,  originally  means  to  follow 
after,  to  pursue,  but  is  commonly  employed  in  a  hostile  sense 
Without  cause  answers  to  a  single  Hebrew  word  (!2in)  an  adverb 
related  to  the  noun  ("^n)  favour^  as  gratis  is  to  gratia  in  Latin. 
So  in  modern  English,  the  idea  here  might  be  expressed  by  the 
one  word  gratuitously.  At  thy  words.,  literally,  from  them.,  i.  e. 
because  or  on  account  of  them.  The  last  verb  is  not  a  passive  in 
Hebrew,  but  a  less  usual  synonyme  of  (J*']'^)  ^^  /^^^^  correctly 
paraphrased  in  the  English  versions  {standeth  in  awe.)  The  maso- 
retic  reading  is  thy  word  in  the  singular,  but,  as  in  most  other 
cases,  the  best  critics  now  prefer  the  reading  in  the  text. 

162.  Rejoicing  {am)  I  over  thy  saying.,  like  {one)  finding  much 
spoil.  The  participle  indicates  continued  and  habitual  rejoicing. 
Thy  saying.,  that  which  thou  hast  said,  thy  law  with  its  attendant 
promises. 

163.  Falsehood  I  hate  and  ahhor  ;  thy  law  I  love.  Hate  and 
have  hated,  love  and  have  loved.  Falsehood  or  lying.,  as  in  v.  29. 
The  second  verb  has  the  same  augmented  and  intensive  form  that 
occurs  above,  vs.  147,  158. 

164.  Seven  times  in  the  day  I  praise  thee,  for  the  judgments  of 
thy  rightiousness .  Seven  times  is  a  proverbial  idiom  for  often  or 
repeatedly.     The  use  of  thi*  form  of  -expression  here  is  not  the 


79b  PSALM    CX IX. 

effect!  .5ui  the  occasion  of  the  observance  of  canonical  hours.  See 
above,  ^4  ?s.  Iv.  18(17.)  Prawe  ^Aee,  and  have  been  accustomed 
60  to  do.     With  the  last  clause  compare  v.  160. 

165.  (Tncre  is)  much  peace  to  the  lovers  of  thy  law,  and  the:  e  is 
to  them  no  stumbling  block.  Peace,  in  opposition  to  the  disquie- 
tude insepaiablo  from  a  course  of  sin.  A  stumbling-block  is  a 
common  scriptural  figure  for  an  occasion  of  inbelief  or  sin.  The 
idea  here  is,  that  the  best  preservative  against  temptation  is  a 
love  to  God's  commandments.  The  Prajer-Book  version  {they 
are  not  offended  at  it)  and  that  in  the  text  of  the  English  Bible 
{^lathing  shall  offend  them)  convey  a  very  different  meaning  from 
the  true  one  to  a  modern  reader.  The  latter  indeed  seems 
directly  contradictory  to  vs.  53,  158.  The  correct  sense  is  in- 
telligibly given  in  the  margin  of  the  common  version. 

166.  I  hope  for  thy  salvation,  oh  Jehovah,  and  thy  command- 
mcnts  I  do.  I  hope  and  have  hoped,  do  and  have  done.  In  the 
meantime,  while  expecting  thy  salvation,  I  am  careful  to  perform 
thy  will. 

167.  ATy  soul  observes  thy  testimonies,  and  Hove  them  greatly  (or 
exceecKngly.)  I  observe  them,  pay  particular  regard  to  them,  in 
regulating  my  behaviour,  not  with  a  mere  external  conformity,  but 
from  or  with  my  soul,  because  I  love  them  greatly. 

168.  I  observe  thy  precepts  and  thy  testimonies,  because  all  my 
ways  are  before  thee.  He  does  not  affect  to  be  prompted  by  a 
love  exclusive  of  all  fear,  but  only  of  a  slavish  dread.  He  stands 
in  awe  of  God's  omniscience,  and  is  influenced  by  dread  of  bis 
disapprobation  to  obey  his  precepts,  as  well  as  by  attachment  to 
the  law  itself.  My  v^ays,  my  courses  of  conduct,  mode  of  life, 
behaviour.  Before  thee,  open  to  God's  infallible  inspection,  and 
subjected  to  his  judgment.     Two  of  the  verses  in  this  stanza  beo-in 


PSALM    CXI  X.  19- 

Witli  forms  of  the  vfiL  {"i^'^)  to  observe  or  keep.  It  is  also  worthy 
of  remark  that  b  and  d  are  treated  as  one  letter,  three  of  the  verses 
beginning  with  the  former,  namely,  the  two  first  and  the  sixth. 


J 69.  Lei  my  cry  come  near  before  thce^  oh  Jehovah;  according 
to  thy  word^  make  me  understand.  The  first  noun  denotes  an  audi- 
ble expression  of  strong  feeling,  whether  sorrowful  or  joyful.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  1.  xxx.  6  (5.)  Comz  near  before  thee^  not  only 
near  enough  to  be  heard,  but  into  thy  presence,  so  that  he  who  utters 
it  may  be  seen.  According  to  thy  word.,  thy  commandinent  which 
requires,  and  thy  promise  which  secures,  the  understanding  of  thy 
will.     See  above,  vs.  25,  65,  107,  and  compare  Pent.  xxx.  6. 

170.  Let  my  supplication  come  before  thte  ;  according  to  thy  prom- 
ise., free  me  (or  deliver  me.)  The  first  noun,  accoiding  to  its  ety 
mology,  denotes  a  prayer  for  grace  or  fiivour.  See  above,  Ps.  vi. 
10  (9.)  Iv.  2  ( 1 .)  In  this  and  the  preceding  verse,  the  prayer  for 
deliverance  from  outward  troubles  is  subjoined,  and  as  it  were 
subordinated,  to  that  for  grace  to  do  the  will  of  God.  The  same 
connection  may  be  traced  in  Ps.  xc.  11 — 17. 

171.  My  lips  shall  pour  forth  praise  ;  for  thou  wilt  teach  me  thy 
statutes.  The  first  verb  means  to  cause  to  gush  or  flow,  and  is 
the  same  with  that  in  Ps.  xix.  3  (2.)  Ixxviii.  2.  It  here  denotes 
eager,  abundant,  and  unceasing  praise.  The  last  clause  expresses 
the  confident  expectation  of  the  blessing  so  often  and  importu- 
nately asked  throughout  the  psalm.  As  if  he  had  said,  Now  shall 
my  lips  praise,  for  I  am  about  to  receive  what  I  had  prayed  for ; 
thou  wilt  indeed  teach  me  thy  statutes.  The  translation  U'he?i  thou 
hast  taught  me  (or  shall  teach  me)  is  less  exact,  less  forcible,  and 
really  included  in  the  other. 

172.  Let  my  tongue  answer  thy  saying — that  all  thy  command- 
oimtoi  a.re  fight.     The  verb  which  usually  means  to  answei'  prajei 


198  PSALM    CXIX. 

(see  above,  vs.  26,  145)  is  here  used  in  the  sense  of  responding 
to  a  precept  or  a  promise  by  the  language  of  praise  and  acquies- 
cence. Compare  v.  42,  There  is  no  need  of  treating  the  optative 
form  of  the  verb  as  a  poetic  license.  The  strict  sense  agrees  well 
with  the  prayer  in  the  next  verse.  What  is  here  asked  is  occasion 
thus  to  praise  God.  As  the  last  clause  seems  to  assign  no  perti- 
nent reason  for  the  prayer  in  the  first,  it  may  be  regarded  as  the 
response  itself  Let  my  tongue  say  in  answer  to  all  thy  requisi- 
tions, that  all  thy  commandments  are  right,  or  righteousness  itself, 
as  in   vs.  142,  144. 

173.  Let  thy  hand  he  (near)  to  heljp  me  ;  for  thy  'precepts  dr  1 
choose.  The  word  supplied  in  this  translation  is  not  necessary  to 
the  sense,  but  is  introduced  for  the  purpose  of  retaining  the 
original  construction,  be  to  help  me,  i.  e.  be  my  help,  or  simply 
help  me.  The  reason  given  in  the  last  clause  is,  that  as  he  volun 
tarily  makes  choice  of  God's  will  as  his  rule  of  conduct,  he  theie 
by  renounces  all  other  protection.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  a  pre- 
terite; I  choose,  and  have  already  chosen. 

174.  I  hmg  for  thy  salvation,  oh  Jehovah,  and  thy  laio  (is)  my 
delights.  I  long  and  have  longed.  With  the  first  clause  com- 
pare vs.  40,  SI,  131  ;  with  the  second,  vs.  24,  77,  92. 

175.  Let  my  soul  live  and  praise  thee;  and  Id  thy  judgments 
help  me.  This  verse  sums  up  in  conclusion  the  petitions  of  the 
whole  psalm.  Save  me,  and  thereby  give  me  cause  to  praise 
thee,  for  the  blessings  which  I  have  derived  from  the  promises 
and  precepts  of  the  law.  Let  my  soul  live,  because  it  is  that  which 
is  in  danger.     Judgments,  as  in  vs.  149,  156. 

176.  I  loander  like  a  lost  sheep — seek  thy  servant — for  thy  com^ 
mandments  I  do  not  forget.  The  English  versions  of  the  first 
clause  {I  have  gone  astray)  although  they  adhere  strictly  to   the 


PSALM    CXX.  193 

form  of  the  original,  seem  to  make  the  primary  idea  that  of  sin, 
which  is  really  included,  but  only  as  the  cause  of  that  which  is 
dii-ectly  intended,  namely  misery,  represented  by  the  wandeiing  of 
a  lost  and  helpless  sheep.  Compare  Jer.  1.  6.  Seek  thy  servant^ 
deliver  from  this  wretched  state  one  who  is  still  thy  servant,  and 
as  such  remembers  thy  commandments,  even  in  the  midst  of  hig 
worst  sufferings.  As  the  preceding  verse  sums  up  the  petitiona 
of  the  psalm,  so  this  sums  up  its  complaints  in  the  first  clause 
and  its  professions  in  the  last,  connected  by  the  short  prayei 
{^scek  thy  servant)  as  by  a  single  link.  The  predominant  use  of 
the  past  tense,  even  to  the  end,  shows  how  deeply  the  entire 
psalm  is  founded  upon  actual  and  previous  experience.  In  this 
last  stanza,  the  only  initial  word  repeated  is  (^ul?)  the  verb  of 
existence. 


PSALM    CXX. 

] .  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  To  Jehovah^  inmy  distress^  I  called,  and 
he  answered  me.  This  is  the  first  of  fifteen  psalms  (cxx  — cxxxiv  ) 
\\\  bearing  the  inscription,  song  of  ascents  or  upgoings,  i.  e 
sung  during  the  periodical  journeys  or  pilgrimages  to  Jerusalem 
at  the  times  of  the  great  yearly  festivals.  On  these  occasions  the 
people  are  said,  even  in  historical  prose,  to  go  up  to  Jerusalem, 
in  reference  both  to  its  physical  and  moral  elevation.  See  Ex. 
xxxiv.  24.  1  Kings  xii.  27,  28.  The  Hebrew  verb  (n^J)  em- 
ployed in  such  connections  is  the  root  of  the  noun  (nibr^J  ascents 
in  these  inscriptions.  This  explanation  of  the  title  is  much  mora 
satisfactory  than  any  other  which  has  been  proposed.  A  rabbini- 
^al  tradition  represents  these  psalms  as  having  been  sung  by  the 


200  PSALM    CXX. 

people,  as  they  ascended  the  fifteen  steps  (in  Hebrew  rii^?>2^ 
seven  on  one  side  and  eight  on  the  other,  repeatedly  mentione'^. 
by  Ezekicl  (xl.  6,  22,  26,  31,  34,  37.)  But  apart  from  the  in- 
trinsic improbability  of  this  tradition,  some  psalms  in  the  scries 
were  evidently  not  meant  to  be  sung  at  the  temple.  No  less  im- 
probable than  this  very  ancient  explanation  is  the  modern  one, 
that  the  inscription  has  reference  to  a  peculiarity  of  structure,  the 
repetition  of  a  phrase  or  clause  of  one  sentence  in  the  next  -with 
an  addition,  forming  a  kind  of  climax  or  progression  in  the  terms 
as  well  as  the  ideas.  But  e^en  admitting  that  this  peculiarity  of 
form  might  be  described  by  (lrii^y?3)  the  Hebrew  word  in  ques- 
tion, this  word  could  not  have  been  prefixed  to  each  of  the  fifteen 
psalms,  when  the  examples  of  the  fact  alleged  are  confined  almost 
exclusively  to  one  or  two  of  them.  Much  nearer  to  the  truth 
is  the  opinion,  that  these  psalms  were  intended  to  be  sung 
during  the  return  from  Babylon,  which  is  called  an  ascent 
ir]'TJl2\  by  Ezra  (vii.  9.)  But  this  can  only  be  maintained  by 
prbitrarily  denying  the  genuineness  of  the  titles,  which  ascribe 
four  of  the  psalms  (cxxii,  cxxiv,  cxxxi,  cxxxiii)  to  David  and  one 
(cxxvii)  to  Solomon,  The  position  assigned  to^these,  and  the  dif- 
ference of  tone  between  them  and  the  rest,  are  ingeniously  ac- 
counted for  by  Hengstenberg's  hypothesis,  that  these  five  anciem 
psalms,  sung  by  the  people,  as  they  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  before 
the  captivity,  were  made  the  basis  of  a  whole  series  or  system, 
designed  for  the  same  use  by  an  inspired  writer  after  the  Restora- 
tion, who  not  only  added  ten  psalms  of  his  own,  as  appears  from  the 
identity  of  tone  and  diction,  but  joined  them  to  the  old  ones  in  a 
studied  and  artificial  manner,  entirely  inconsistent  with  the  suppo- 
sition of  fortuitous  or  random  combination.  The  one  psalm  by 
Solomon  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  series  or  system  and  divides  it 
into  two  equal  parts,  in  each  of  which  we  find  two  psalms  of  David 
and  five  anonymous  or  new  ones,  the  former  being  separated  and 
surrounded  by  the  latter,  an  additional  and  strong  proof  of  intend- 
ed adaptation  to  the  times  when  the  later  psalms  were  written,  to 


PSALM    CXX.  201 

which  HeiigstGnberg  still  further  adds  tho  number  and  distrihu- 
tion  of  the  divine  names  in  the  whole  series  and  its  subdivisions. 
The  psalm  immediately  before  is  anonymous,  but  its  tone  and 
diction  mark  it  as  belonging  to  the  period  of  the  Restoration.  It 
begins  with  an  acknowledgment  of  that  great  mercy,  v  1,  followed 
by  a  prayer  for  deliverance  from  treacherous  and  spiteful  eno- 
rcies,  V.  2,  and  a  confident  anticipation  of  their  punishment,  vs.  3,  4, 
but  closes  with  a  further  lamentation  and  complaint  of  present 
suitering,  vs.  5 — 7.  In  this,  as  in  all  the  other  psalms  of  the 
series,  the  ideal  speaker  is  Israel  or  Judah,  considered  as  the  church 
or  chosen  people.  This  first  verse,  although  general  in  its  terms,  is 
perfectly  appropriate  to  the  Captivity,  as  the  distress  out  of  which 
the  sufferer  cried  to  Grod,  and  to  the  Restoration,  as  the  answer  to  his 
prayer.  In  my  distress^  literally,  in  distress  to  me^  an  expression 
like  that  in  Ps.  xviii.  7  (6.)  The  augmented  form  of  the  Hebrew 
noun  is  like  that  in  Ps.  iii.  3  (2.) 

2.  Oh  Jehovah^  free  my  soul  from  lip  of  falsehood^  from  tongue 
of  fraud.  The  soul  is  particularly  mentioned  as  usual  when  the 
life  or  the  existence  is  in  danger.  The  last  two  nouns  in  Hebrew 
are  not  in  construction  but  in  apposition,  a  tongue  {which  is) 
fraud.,  equivalent  in  meaning  to  the  same  English  words  in  an 
inverted  order,  fraud-tongue.  See  a  somewhat  similar  combina- 
tion, Ps.  xlv.  5  (4.)  Ix.  5  (4.)  The  terms  of  the  description  are 
too  strong  to  be  applied  to  mere  delusive  promises,  and  necessarily 
buggest  the  idea  of  calumnious  falsehood,  as  in  Ps.  xxxi.  19  (18.) 
cxix.  69,  78.  The  reality  answering  to  this  description  in  the 
case  of  the  restored  Jews  is  the  spiteful  misrepresentation,  by 
which  the  Samaritans  retarded  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple,  as 
recorded  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  Ezra. 

3.  What  will  he  give  to  thee,  and  what  loill  he  add  to  thee,  thou 
tonaue  of  fraud  ?  Having  complained  to  God  of  the  false 
tonf^ue,  tho  ideal  speaker  turns  to  it  as  actually  present  and  ad- 

9* 


202  PSALM    CXX. 

dresses  it  directly,  speaking  of  God  in  the  third  person  Tho 
meaning  of  the  question  is,  what  recompense  can  you  expect  from 
an  infinitely  righteous  God  for  these  malignant  calumnies  ?  The 
peculiar  form  of  the  interrogation  is  derived  from  that  of  an 
ancient  oath,  The  Lord  do  so  to  me  and  more  also,  literally,  and 
so  add,  i.  e.  further  do,  or  in  addition  to  the  thing  in  question. 
See  1  Sam.  iii.  17.  xiv.  44.  As  explained  by  this  allusion,  the 
words  have  a  new  force.  What  good  or  evil  may  be  imprecated 
on  thee,  as  the  consequence  of  these  malicious  falsehoods  ? 

4.  Arrotvs  of  a  warrior  sharpened,  (together)  with  coals  of 
juniper.  The  general  idea  of  severe  and  painful  punishment  is 
here  expressed  by  the  obvious  and  intelligible  figures  of  keen 
arrows  and  hot  coals.  The  arrows  of  a  mighty  man,  warrior,  or 
hero,  are  those  used  in  battle,  perhaps  with  an  allusion  to  the 
fact,  that  one  of  the  races  mentioned  in  the  next  verse  excelled 
in  archery.  See  Isai.  xxi.  17.  The  word  which  the  rabbin- 
ical tradition  explains  to  mean  the  juniper,  is  by  modern  lexi- 
cographers identified  with  the  Arabic  name  of  a  species  of  broom- 
plant,  which  is  thought,  on  account  of  its  inflammatory  quality, 
to  make  the  best  charcoal.  See  Robinson's  Palestine,  vol.  i.  p.  299. 
With  the  figures  of  the  verse  before  us  compare  Ps.  vii.  14  (13.) 
xviii.  13,  14  (12,  13.)  cxl.  11  (10.) 

5.  Alas  for  me,  that  I  sojourn  (with)  Meshech  (and)  dwell  near 
the  tents  of  Kedar  !  The  first  verb  seems  elsewhere,  in  the  same 
construction,  to  denote  the  act  of  dwelling  with  one,  Ps.  v. 
5  (4.)  'V\\Q  Hebrew  preposition  in  the  last  clause  properly 
means  with  and  denotes  association  and  proximity.  Tho  English 
Bible,  by  twice  employing  our  preposition  in,  obscures  the  mean- 
ing of  both  clauses,  which  is  not  that  the  people  were  in  the 
power  or  even  in  the  midst  of  the  enemies  here  mentioned,  but 
compiill^d  to  reside  near  them  and  to  sufPar  from  their  neighbour- 
hood.    Meshech  is  the  name  given  in  Gen.  x.  2  to  the  Moschi,  a 


PSALM    CXX.  203 

barlarous  people  intabiting  the  mountains  between  Colchis, 
Armenia,  and  Ibevia.  Kedar  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Ishmael, 
(Gen.  XXV.  13),  whose  name  is  sometimes  used  to  designate  an 
Arabian  tribe  (Isai.  xxi.  16.  xlii.  llj,  and  in  later  Hebrew  the 
Arabians  generally.  As  these  raoes,  dwelling  far  off,  in  the  north 
and  south,  were  never  in  immediate  or  continued  contact  with 
the  Israelites,  they  are  probably  named  as  types  and  representa- 
tives of  warlike  barbarism,  just  as  the  names  Goths,  Vandals, 
Huns,  Turks,  Tartars,  Cossacks,  have  at  different  times  been 
used  proverbially  in  English,  to  describe  those  supposed  to 
exhibit  the  same  character,  however  unconnected  or  remote  in 
genealogy  and  local  habitation.  A  slight  approach  to  the  same 
usage  was  produced  among  ourselves  by.  the  revolutionary  war, 
in  reference  to  the  national  names,  British  and  Hessian.  In  the 
case  before  us,  it  is  evident  from  v.  6,  that  Meshech  and  Kedar 
are  mere  types  and  representatives  of  those  who  hate  peace  and 
delight  in  war.  Compare  Ezek.  xxxviii.  2,  where  Meshech  ap- 
pears as  a  chief  leader  under  Gog,  the  great  prophetic  represent- 
ative of  heathendom. 

6.  My  soul  has  dwelt  too  long  for  her  with  (onej  hating  peace. 
The  substitution  of  my  soul  for  /implies  the  intimate  conviction 
and  the  painful  sense  of  what  is  here  asserted.  Too  long^  lite- 
rally, much  or  too  much.  As  to  this  peculiar  idiom,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixv.  10  (9.j  For  her  may  be  an  idiomatic  pleonasm,  adding 
nothing  to  the  meaning  of  the  verb,  vith  which  it  must  be  read 
in  close  connection  or  it  may  have  the  meaning  which  the  cor- 
responding phrase  would  naturally  seem  to  have  in  English,  for 
her  good  or  for  her  interest.  See  above  on  Ps.  Iviii.  8  (7.) 
Hating  pence  is  clearly  a  collective  or  aggregate  expression, 
comprehending  all  denoted  by  the  Meshech  and  Kedar  of  tha 
preceding  verse,  as  an  ideal  individual. 

7    I  am  peace,  and  iv hen  I  speak ^  theq  (go)  to  war      The  first 


204  PSALM    CXXI. 

phrase  resembles  I  am  'prayer  in  Ps.  cix.  4,  and  seems  to  moan,! 
am  all  peace,  notliinsj  but  peace,  peace  itself,  i.  e.  entirely  peace- 
ful or  pacific.  Speak  may  be  an  ellipsis  for  f,peak  peac.e^  a 
phrase  repeatedly  occurring  in  the  Psalms.  See  above,  Ps. 
XXXV.  20.  Ixxxv.  9  (8),  and  below,  Ps.  cxxii.  8.  The  sense 
will  then  be,  whenever  I  desire  or  propose  peace.  If  the  verb  be 
absolutely  understood,  the  sense  is  that  every  word  he  utters  is 
made  an  occasion  of  attack  or  conflict.  The  double  /or,  in  the 
common  version  of  this  sentence,  is  as  incorrect  as  the  double  in 
of  V.  5,  and  more  enfeebling  to  the  sense.  I  am  not  only  for 
ptactj  but  am  peace  itself.  They  are  not  only /or  war  ^  but  arise, 
proceed,  or  address  themselves  to  it. 


PSALM    CXXI. 

1.  A  Song  for  the  Ascents.  I  rahe  my  eyes  to  the  moiintains. 
Whence  comet h  my  help  1  The  title  differs  from  that  of  the  pre- 
ceding psalm  only  in  the  use  of  the  preposition  /or,  instead  of  the 
simple  genitive  construction.  This  variation,  though  without 
eifect  upon  the  sense,  is  favourable  to  the  explanation  which  has 
been  already  given  of  these  titles,  as  a  song  for  the  asrents  or  pil- 
grimages to  Jerusalem  is  certainly  more  intelligible  than  a  song 
for  the  steps  of  the  temple,  and  stiP  more  so  than  a  song  for  the 
returns  from  exile,  while  the  moaern  theory  of  climacteric  re- 
sumptions fails  altogether  to  account  for  the  expression  here  used 
The  whole  psalm  is  a  description  of  Jehovah  as  the  guardian  or 
protector  of  his  people.  The  only  mateiial  distinction  of  the 
parts  is  that  arising  from  the  alternate  use  of  the  first  and  second 
person,  as  in  Ps.  xci,  which  has  led  some  to  assume  without  ne- 


PSALM    CXXI.  205 

jessity,  tliat  the  psalm  was  intended  to  be  snng  by  alternate  or 
responsive  choirs.  The  phrase  to  lift  the  eyes,  though  sometimeg 
used  to  signify  the  mere  act  of  directing  them  to  an  object,  has 
its  strict  and  full  sense,  when  a  higher  object  is  particularly  men- 
tioned, such  as  hills  or  heavens.  The  mountains  here  meant  are/ 
the  heights  on  which  Jerusalem  is  built.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  this  psalm  was  intended  to  be  sung  when  the  pilgrims  came 
in  sight  of  the  Holy  City.  Some  suppose  moreover  that  it  was 
meant  to  be  an  evening  song  and  used  when  they  halted  for  the 
last  nighfs  rest  before  they  reached  Jerusalem.  The  relative 
construction  of  the  last  clause  yields  a  good  sense,  but  is  not  in 
perfect  keeping  with  the  usage  of  the  compound  particle 
(V.?^^)  which  is  elsewhere  always  interrogative. 

2.  My  hel'p  is  from  Jehovah^  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth.  The 
creative  power  of  Jehovah  is  particularly  mentioned,  to  demon- 
strate his  ability  to  help  his  people.     Compare  Ps.  cxv.  15. 

3.  May  he  not  suffer  to  be  moved  thy  foot ;  may  he  not  sliimher 
— thy  keejper.  This  is  the  expression  of  a  wish,  the  only  sense 
consistent  with  the  form  of  the  original.  Let  him  not  give  ujp  to 
moving  thy  foot.  See  above,  Ps.  xxxviii.  17  (16.)  Ixvi.  9  (8.)  The  j 
figure  is  peculiarly  appropriate  in  the  mouth  of  pilgrims,  making 
their  way  among  the  hills  and  rocks  of  Palestine.  The  same  thing 
is  true  of  the  figures  in  the  subsequent  verses. 

4.  io,  he  shall  not  slumber.,  and  he  shall  not  sleep — the  keeper  of 
Israel.  What  is  desired  in  the  third  verse,  is  affirmed  in 
this.  The  position  of  the  subject  at  the  end  of  the  sentence,  in 
both  cases,  is  emphatic.  Most  interpreters  assume  a  gradation  in 
the  meaning  of  the  two  verbs,  as  if  one  denoted  lighter  and  the 
other  deep  sleep;  but  they  difi"er  on  the  question  which  is  the 
stronger  of  the  two  expressions.  The  latest  writers  say  the  fir<5t 
See  above,  on  Ps  iv.  9  (8.) 


206  PSALM    CXXI. 

5.  Jehovah  is  thy  litper  ;  Jehovah  is  thy  ^hadf>  upon  thy  righi 
hand.  The  k'.Mpor  or  protector  of  Israel,  who  had  twice  been 
mentioned  by  thit  title,  is  now  named.  A  shade  or  shadow  is  a 
common  fif^ure  for  protector,  and  ihe  right  hand  often  mentioned 
as  the  place  of  a  protector.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cix.  6.  ex.  5,  and 
compare  Num.  xiv.  9 

6.  By  day  the  sun  shall  not  smite  thee.,  and  the  moon  by  night 
The  last  clause  does  not  necessarily  refer  to  injurious  effects  pro- 
duced directly  by  the  moon,  but  may  be  understood  as  a  poetical 
description  of  all  noxious  influences  operating  in  the  night,  over 
which  the  moon  was  constituted  ruler  at  the  time  of  its  creation 
See  Gen.  i.  16.  xxxi.  40.  Jer.  xxxvi.  30. 

7.  Jehovah  will  keep  thee  from  all  evil;  he  will  keep  thy  soul. 
The  protection  which  had  been  repeatedly  promised  to  Israel  on 
the  part  of  God,  is  now  described  as  extending  to  all  evils  and  to 
the  very  life  and  soul. 

8.  Jehovah  will  keep  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in.,  from  nmo 
even  to  eternity.  This  is  the  third  repetition  of  the  phrase,  Jehovah 
ivill  keep.,  i.  e.  keep  safe,  protect,  preserve,  as  if  to  silence  the 
misgivings  of  a  weak  or  tempted  faith,  by  the  reiterated  declara- 
tion of  this  cheering  truth.  Going  out  and  coming  in  is  a  pro- 
veibial  Hebrew  phrase  for  all  the  occupations  and  affairs  of  life 
See  Deut.  xxviii.  6.  1  Sam.  xxix.  6.  The  original  reference  is 
to  man's  going  out  to  labour  in  the  morning  and  returning  home 
to  rest  at  night.  See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  23.  With  the  last 
clause  compare  Ps.  cxiii.  2.  cxvi.  18.  cxxv.  2.  The  promise  of 
eternal  preservation  is  addressed  directly  to  the  church  as  such  ; 
but  that  it  involves  the  blessed  immortality  of  individual  believers, 
ii  admitted  even  by  those  least  disposed  to  find  allusions  to  the 
fi.ture  state  in  the  Book  of  Psalms. 


PSALM    CXXII.  207 


PSALM    CXXII. 

1.  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  By  David.  I  ^-ejoice  in  (these) 
saying  to  me,  To  the  house  of  Jehovah  we  will  go.  This  psalm  j 
though  so  much  older  than  the  two  before  it,  was  probably  placed 
third  in  the  series,  because  it  was  intended  to  be  sung,  and  was 
actually  sung,  at  the  entrance  of  the  Holy  City,  whereas  the 
others  were  used  at  the  commencement  of  the  march,  and  on 
coming  in  sight  of  Jerusalem.  The  ideal  speaker  represents  the 
church  or  chosen  people.  After  the  introduction,  vs.  1,  2, 
comes  a  panegyric  on  Jerusalem,  as  the  royal  and  holy  city, 
vs.  3 — 5,  followed  by  a  prayer  for  her  prosperity  as  such,  vs.  6 — 9. 
The  Ascents,  or  upward  journeys  of  the  people  to  the  sanctuary, 
as  in  Ps.  cxx.  1.  cxxi.  1.  To  rejoice  in  those  saying  is  to  rejoice 
because  they  say.  On  the  last  clause  is  founded  Isai.  ii,  3,  where 
the  gentiles  are  described  as  joining  in  the  words  here  uttered  by 
the  Jews. 

2.  Standing  are  our  feet  in  thy  gates,  oh  Jerusalem  !  The  com- 
mon version  {shall  sta7id)  is  entirely  ungrammatical.  The  past 
tense  of  the  substantive  verb  with  the  participle  means  strictly 
have  been  standing,  i.  e.  have  begun  to  stand,  or  are  already 
standing. 

3.  Jerusalem,  the  {one)  built  like  a  city  ichich  is  joined  to  itself 
together.  This  seems  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  addi-ess  in  the 
preceding  verse.  The  unusual  expressions  in  the  last  clause  are 
intended  to  describe  the  city  as  substantially  and  strongly  built. 
The  sense  is  correctly  given  in  the  English  Bible,  a  city  that  is 


208  PSALM    CXXII 

compact  together.  This  seems  to  imply  that  Jerusalem  had  re- 
cently assumed  this  character,  and  may  therefore  help  to  de- 
termine the  period  in  the  reign  of  David,  when  the  psalm  was 
written.  See  2  Sam.  v.  9.  The  abbreviated  relative  (n^isri'r) 
has  by  some  been  made  a  proof  of  later  date  ;  but  it  no  doubt 
belonged  from  the  beginning  to  the  dialect  of  common  life, 
thouo-h  not  commonly  employed  in  writing  till  a  later  date, 
Jt  occurs  in  the  song  of  Deborah,  Judg.  v.  7,  and  elsewhere  in 
the  Book  of  Judges  (vi.  17.  vii.  12.  viii.  26.) 


4.  Where  the  tribes  go  up^  the  tribes  of  Jah^  {as)  a  testimony 
to  Israel^  to  give  thanks  to  the  name  of  Jehovah.  There  is  obvious 
reference  to  the  requisition  in  Ex.  xxiii.  17.  xxxiv.  23.  Deut,  xvi. 
16,  which  is  called  a  testimony,  not  merely  as  the  law  in  general 
is  (Ps.  xciii.  6),  but  as  a  constant  memorial  of  Grod's  goodness  to 
his  people.  The  mention  of  the  tribes  seems  to  point  to  the 
period  of  the  undivided  monarchy. 

5.  For  there  sit  thromo.  for  judgment ,  thrones  for  the  tiouse  of 
David.  This  means  simply  that  Jerusalem,  was  a  civil  as  well  as 
a  religious  capital.  There.,  literally  thither.^  implying  that  the 
singers  were  themselves  in  motion  towards  these  thrones.  Sit^or 
as  we  should  say  in  English,  stand.     See  below,  Ps.  cxxv.  1. 

6.  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem  ;  may  they  have  peace  that 
love  thee  !  Peace,  in  both  clauses,  includes  all  prosperity.  There 
is  obvious  allusion  to  the  meaning  of  the  nanie  Jerusalem.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvi.  3  (2.) 

7.  Peace  be  within  thy  rampart,  and  repose  within  thy  pa  laces 
Peace  and  repose  from  all  distracting  causes,  of  whatever  nature 
Rampart,  breast-work,  circumvallation.  Rampart  and  palace.^ 
are  put  for  the  outer  and  inner  masses  of  building.  Compare  Vs 
xlviii.  14. 


PSALM    CXXIII.  209 

8.  For  the  saW.^of  my  hrcihren  and  my  friends,  let  me  speak, 
Peace  (be)  within  thee.  By  brethren  and  friends  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  whole  body  of  the  chosen  people.  For  their  sake  may 
include  the  sense  of  in  their  behalf.  The  last  clause  admits  of  a 
different  construction,  Let  me  speak  peace  to  thee,  literally  in  thee. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxv.  9  (S.)  The  optative  meaning  of  the  verb  is 
determined  by  the  particle  (j<5j  the  use  of  which  here  seems  to  be 
imitated  in  Ps.  cxv.  2.  cxvi.  4. 

9.  For  the  sake  of  the  house  of  Jehovah  our  God,  I  luill  seek  thf 
good.  The  house  of  God  is  here  the  sanctuary  and  all  the  inter- 
ests of  which  it  was  the  local  centre.  Jehovah  our  God,  our  pat- 
ron and  protector,  our  peculiar  covenant  God.  Seek  includes 
every  form  of  effort  to  promote  it ;  but  the  prominent  idea  is  that 
of  intercession. 


PSALM    CXXIII. 

1.  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  Unto  thee  do  I  raise  my  eyes,  the 
{one)  sittiiig  in  the  heavens.  This  psalm  contains  an  expression  of 
solicitous  desire  for  divine  help,  v.  1,2,  a  direct  prayer  for  mercy, 
V.  3,  and  a  statement  of  the  circumstances  which  occasioned  it. 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  cxxi.  1,  with  the  second,  Ps. 
ii.  4.  xi.  4.  ciii.  19.  cxiii.  3,  5. 

2.  Behold,  as  the  eyes  of  servants  (are  turned)  to  the  hand  of 
their  masters,  as  the  eyes  of  a  maid  to  the  hand  of  hzr  mistress.,  so 
our  eyes  (are  turned)  to  Jehovah  our  God,  imtil  he  have  mercy  upon 
us.  The  behold  as,  at  the  beginning,  is  equivalent  to  see  how  in 
English.     Some  suppose  the  act  of  looking  towards  the  hand  of  a 


210  PSALM    CXXIV. 

superior  to  denote  desire  of  protection ;  others  an  appeal  to  Iiia 
bounty,  as  in  Ps.  civ.  27,  28.  cxlv.  15,  16  ;  others  an  implied 
prayer  that  punishment  may  cease.  Compare  Gen.  xvi.  6,  8,  9. 
Perhaps  all  these  explanations  err  in  being  too  specific,  and  the 
sense  of  the  comparison  is  simply  that  they  look  with  deference 
and  trust  to  the  superior  power  which  controls  them. 

3.  Have  mercy  upon  us^  oh  Jehovah^  have  mercy  upon  us  ;  for 
greatly  are  we  sated  with  contempt.  This  petition  forms  the  centre 
of  the  psalm,  to  which  what  goes  before  is  introductory  and  what 
follows  supplementary.  The  contempt  is  that  of  heathen  neigh- 
bours, and  especially  that  of  the  Samaritans,  which  is  expressly 
mentioned  in  the  history.     See  Neh.  i.  3.  ii.  19. 

4.  Much  sated  in  itself  is  our  soul  with  the  scorning  of  the  secure, 
the  contempt  of  the  proud.     In  itself,  literally,  to  or  for  itself  .,  as< 
in  Ps.  cxxii.  3.      Secure  (sinners)^  those  at  ease,  indifferent  to  the 
Bufferings  of  others,  and  without  apprehension  of  their  own.     Com- 
pare Ps.  Ixxiii.  J  2. 


PSALM     CXXIV. 

1.  A  Song\  of  the  Ascents.  By  David.  If  (it  had)  not  (bean) 
Jehovah  who  was  for  21s — oh  let  Israel  say.  This  psalm  consists 
of  two  parts,  an  acknowledgment  of  God  as  the  deliverer  of 
Israel,  vs.  1 — 5,  and  a  consequent  determination  to  trust  in  him 
exclusively  for  future  favours,  v.  6 — 9.  The  verse  before  us 
propounds  the  theme  of  the  whole  composition,  in  a  conditional 
And  imperfect,   but  for  that  very  reason   a  more  striking  form 


PSALM    CXXIV.  211 

It  is  tiintamount  to  saying,  what  if  the  Lord  had  not  been  for 
us  ? — leavinor  the  answer  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader.  For 
us^  in  our  favour,  on  our  side  ;  or  to  us^  belonging  to  us,  ours, 
^hich  really  includes  the  other.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivi.  10  (9.) 
Ok  that  in  the  last  clause  represents  (j^d)  the  particle  of  entreaty 
The  common  version  (notv)  conveys  the  very  diflFerent  idea,  at 
length,  after  all  that  we  have  suffered,  let  Israel  so  say.  The  mis- 
take is  rendered  more  natural  or  rather  unavoidable,  to  mere 
English  readers,  by  the  seeming  antithesis  between  the  now  of 
this  verse  and  the  then  of  vs.  3,  4,  5,  of  which  there  is  not  the 
slightest  trace  in  the  original. 

2.  If  (it  had)  not  {been)  Jehovah  who  was  for  us,  in  the  rising 
up  of  man  against  us — What  was  left  unfinished  in  the  first  verso, 
as  a  mere  suggestion  of  the  Psalmist's  theme,  is  now  repeated,  for 
the  purpose  of  being  carried  out.  This  is  one  of  the  rhetorical 
resumptions,  which  some  modern  critics  hold  to  be  the  (nii5>p_) 
degrees,  from  which  these  fifteen  psalms  derived  their  common 
designation.     With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  Ivi.  12  (11.) 

3.  The7i  alive  would  they  have  sicallowed  us,  in  the  kindling  of 
their  wrath  against  us.     With  respect  to  the  then  at  the  begin- 

-  ning  of  this  verse,  there  is  danger  of  an  error  just  the  opposite  of 
that  already  pointed  out  in  reference  to  the  now  of  v.  1.  As  the 
English  reader  would  be  almost  sure  to  take  that  for  a  particle  of 
time,  which  it  is  not,  he  would  be  equally  certain  to  mistake  this 
for  a  term  of  logic,  meaning  in  that  case,  upon  that  supposition, 
or  the  like  ;  whereas  it  really  means  at  that  time,  the  well  remem- 
bered time  of  our  extremity,  when  God  so  wonderfully  interposed 
for  our  deliverance.  The  Hebrew  particle  occurs  in  this  form 
only  here,  and  is  consequently  no  more  a  proof  of  recent  than  of 
early  date.  Another  word  liable  to  misconstruction  in  the  Eng- 
lish versions  of  this  clause  is  quick,  here  used  in  its  primary  sense 
of  living  or  alive,  from  which  may  be  easily  deduced  its  secondary 


212  PSALM    CXX  IV. 

sense  of  sicifi^  implying  lively  motion.  The  historical  allusion,  in 
this  and  other  like  passages,  is  no  doubt  to  the  fate  of  Korah  and 
his  company.  Compare  Num.  xvi.  32,  33,  where  the  same  verb 
and  adjective  occur  together.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Iv.  16  (15,j 
The  plural  pronoun  their  refers  to  the  collective  man  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse. 

4.  Then  the  waters  would  have  overwhelmed  us  (and)  a  stream 
passed  over  our  soul.  The  common  version  (had  overwhelmed  us) 
is  entirely  correct,  and  more  poetical  in  form  than  that  here  given, 
but  at  the  same  time  ambiguous,  as  the  sentence,  taken  by  itself, 
would  seem  to  mean,  that  before  the  time  signified  by  then.,  the 
waters  had  actually  overwhelmed  them,  which  was  not  the  case. 
The  figures  are  the  same  as  in  Ps.  xviii.  5,  17  (4,  16.)  cxliv.  7. 

t).  Then  had  ^passed  over  our  soul  tJie  toaters^  the  proud  {waters.) 
The  waters  are  so  described,  partly  because  of  the  ideas  suggested 
by  their  swelling  (Ps.  Ixxxix.  10),  partly  because  they  represent 
dangers  arising  from  the  selfish  pride  of  human  enemies.  Some, 
without  necessity,  recur  to  the  primary  meaning  of  the  root,  and 
explain  the  adjective  to  mean  boiling,  efi'ervescing. 

6.  Blessed  (he)  Jehovah^  ivho  did  not  give  us  (as)  prey  to  their 
teeth.  By  one  of  those  rhetorical  transitions  which  are  constantly 
occurring  in  the  figurative  diction  of  the  psalms,  the  enemies  and 
dangers,  which  had  just  been  represented  as  an  overwhelming  flood 
or  torrent,  are  suddenly  transformed  into  devouring  beasts.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  iii.  8  (7.)  Iviii.  7  (6.)  With  the  benediction  or  dox- 
ology,  blessed  (he)  Jehovah^  compare  Ps.  xxviii.  6.  xxxi.  22  (21.) 

7.  Our  soul  is  escaped^  like  a  bird,  from  the  snare  of  the  fowlers , 
the  snare  is  broken  and  we  are  escaped.  We  have  here  a  second 
transition  and  a  third  comparison,  to  wit,  that  of  the  enemies  to 
fowlers,  and  of  their  devices  to  snares  or  traps  used  in  catchmor 


PSALM    CXXV.  213 

birds.  In  the  second  clause  there  is  an  obvious  climax.  Not  only 
is  the  bird  gone,  but  the  f-nare  is  broken.  This  is  peculiarly  ap- 
propriate to  the  restoration  of  the  Jews  from  Babylon,  which  was 
occasioned  by  the  fall  of  Babylon  itself.  With  the  figures  of  this 
verse  compare  Ps.  xviii.  5  (4.)  xci.  3.  The  English  phrase  is 
escaped^  denoting  a  change  of  state,  and  not,  like  has  escaped,  a 
single  act,  is  well  suited  to  represent  the  Hebrew  verb,  which, 
though  active  in  meaning,  has  the  passive  form. 

8.  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of  Jehovah,  make?-  of  heaven  .znd 
earth.  The  conclusion  drawn  from  the  experience  here  recorded 
Is,  that  he  who  had  helped  them  must  help  them  still.  Our  help 
for  the  future  no  less  than  the  past.  In  the  name  of  Jehovah,  the 
manifested  attributes,  which  constitute  his  name,  in  the  peculiar 
dialect  of  Scripture,  and  especially  of  this  book.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  V.  12  (11)  XX.  2(1.)  With  this  verse  compare  also  Ps 
xxxiii.  22.  cxxi.  2, 


PSALM    CXXV. 

1.  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  Those  trusting  in  Jehovah  (are) 
like  Mount  Zion,  (which)  is  not  moved  (hut)  stands  forever.  This 
psalm  contains  an  expression  of  strong  confidence  in  the  divine 
protection,  vs.  1,  2,  especially  against  wicked  enemies,  v.  3,  with 
a  prayer  that  this  confidence  may  not  go  unrewarded,  v.  4,  and  a 
prophetic  anticipation  of  the  fate  of  the  ungodly,  v.  5.  The  con- 
dition of  the  chosen  people,  here  described  or  pre-supposed,  as 
Buffei-ing  from  the  spite  of  heathen  enemies,  not  in   captivity  or 


214  PSALM    C  X  X  V . 

exile,  but  at  home  in  their  own  land,  and  internally  divided  into 
two  great  parties,  the  sincere  and  hypocritical,  agrees  exactly 
with  the  period  of  the  Restoration,  and  especially  that  part  of  it 
in  which  the  building  of  the  temple  was  suspended,  as  known  to 
us  from  history  and  prophecy.  The  psalm  before  us  was  well 
suited  to  alarm  and  warn  the  false  Israel,  as  well  as  to  encourage 
and  support  the  true.  According  to  Hengstenberg,  it  was  in- 
tended, with  the  psalms  before  and  after  it,  to  form  a  trilogy, 
consisting  of  one  ancient  and  two  later  compositions.  Tfiost 
trusting  in  Jehovah  is  a  characteristic  designation  of  the  true 
church,  the  spiiitual  Israel,  the  chosen  people.  The  meaning  i? 
not  merely  that  they  individually  exercise  this  faith,  but  that  col- 
lectively, or  as  a  body,  they  are  built  upon  it,  and  have  no  secu- 
rity except  in  the  divine  pi-otection.  Mount  Zion^  not  as  a  figure 
for  the  church,  which  would  then  be  compared  with  itself,  but 
simply  as  a  mountain,  and  like  other  mountains  solid  and  endur- 
ing, here  selected  as  a  sample  or  an  emblem  of  these  qualities, 
because  it  had  also  a  religious  pre-eminence,  as  the  earthly  seat 
and  centre  of  the  tiue  religion.  It  is  not  (and  shall  not  be) 
movp/l^  shaken  from  its  firm  position.  See  above  on  Ps. 
xlvi.  6  (5.)  Stmids  forever,  WtQvaWy^  sits  to  eternity^  the  Hehre'W 
idiom  using  one  of  these  postures  as  we  use  the  other,  or  rather 
using  both  as  we  use  only  one,  to  denote  the  op,posite  of  vacilla- 
tion and  prostration.     See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxii.  5. 

2.  Jerusalem  (^has)  hills  about  her,  and  (soj  Jehovah  (is)  aboiit 
his  peo^pkj  from  now  even  to  eternity.  The  site  of  Jerusalem, 
with  its  peculiar  features,  furnishes  the  psalmist  with  a  striking 
image  of  the  divine  protection.  As  in  v.  1,  the  permanent  secu- 
rity of  the  church  itself  is  likened  to  the  firmness  of  Mount  Zion 
on  its  base,  so  here  the  protecting  care,  which  causes  this  secu- 
rity, is  likened  to  the  heights  by  which  the  city  is  surrounded 
upon  all  sides.  The  verb  /las,  supplied  in  the  tran.>laiion 
of    the    first    clause,    is    really    a    violation    of    the    Hebrew 


PSALM    CXXV.  215 

idiom,  tj  wliicb  as  well  as  to  the  kindi-ed  tongues  the  verb 
to  have  is  utterly  unknown.  In  our  own  idiom,  howeverj 
it  expresses  the  precise  idea,  and  enables  us  to  retain  the  Hebrew 
collocation,  which  assigns  Jcrusakm  the  first  place  in  the  sentence, 
rhe  Hebrew  corresponding  to  about  is  a  compound  phrase,  con- 
sisting of  a  local  adverb  and  a  preposition,  around  as  to.  HU 
'people^  meaning  those  who  trust  him  (v.  1),  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
hypocrites  and  unbelievers. 

3.  For  not  to  rest  is  the  rod  of  wicliedness  over  the  lot  of  the 
righteous^  to  the  intent  that  the  righteous  may  not  ptit  forth  to 
iniquity  their  hands.  This  unusually  long  verse  clearly  shows  the 
actual  condition  of  the  chosen  people,  here  assumed  or  pre- 
supposed, as  well  known  to  the  writer  and  original  readers  of  the 
psalm.  The  present  ascendency  of  wicked  men  is  not  inconsist- 
ent with  the  truth  just  stated,  because  it  is  to  be  brought  to  an 
end,  lest  the  faith  and  patience  of  God's  people  should  fail,  and 
they  should  be  tempted  to  renounce  his  service  as  unprofitable 
nay  as  ruinous.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxiii.  13,  14.  To  rest.,  not  mere- 
ly to  remain,  but  to  continue  undisturbed.  The  rod  or  staff  is 
here  a  symbol  of  authority,  and  might  be  rendered  sceptre^  if  the 
subject  of  discourse  were  kings.  See  above  on  Ps.  ii.  9.  xlv.  7  (6.) 
The  lot  of  tlie  righteous^  their  share  of  the  inheritance  of  the  cho- 
sen people,  at  first  distributed  by  lot.  To  the  intent  indicates 
the  reason  why  this  undeserved  superiority  is  not  to  last.  The 
reason  is  founded  not  merely  on  the  ill  desert  of  the  wicked,  but 
on  the  interest  and  welfare  of  the  righteous.  Fut  forth,  or 
stretch  out,  literally  send  into.  Sec  the  same  construction, 
Gen.  xxxvii.  22.  Ex.  xxii.  7,  10  (8,  11.)  To  touch  iniquity  is 
here  to  meddle  with  it,  not,  as  some  suppose,  in  the  shape  of  re- 
venge merely,  but  in  all  its  degrees  and  forms,  by  which  the 
righteous  can  be  tempted. 

4.  Do  good^  Oh  Jehovah.,  to  the  good,  and  to  {those)  upright  in 


216  PSALM    CXXV. 

their  hearh  These  are  additional  descriptions  of  the  truo  chnrcl 
or  spiritual  Israel,  to  whom  alone  the  promise  of  divine  favour  and 
protection  had  been  given.  Upright^  literally  straight,  straight- 
forward, as  opposed  to  all  moral  obliquity  whatever.  See  above, 
en  Ps.  vii.  11  (10.)  The  prayer  involves  a  prophetic  declaration, 
that  to  such  and  such  only,  God  will  do  good  or  act  kindly  in  the 
highest  sense.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii.  1. 

5.  And^  (as  to)  those  turning  aside  (in)  their  crooked  (ways), 
Jehovah  will  let  them  go  with  the  doers  of  iniquity.  Peace  (be) 
uvon  Israel!  The  participle  in  the  first  clause  is  properly  a 
transitive  and  means  causing  to  turn  aside.,  but  has  here  the  sense 
of  going  aside.,  or  turning  in  the  intransitive  sense,  the  English 
verb  having  precisely  the  same  double  usage.  This  construction 
of  the  Hebrew  verb,  which  occurs  also  in  Isai.  xxx.  11.  Job. 
xxiii.  1 1 ,  may  be  resolved  into  the  usual  one,  by  supposing  an 
ellipsis  of  their  feet  or  steps.  The  adjective  translated  crooked  oc- 
curs only  here  and  in  Judg.  v.  6,  where  the  noun  {ways  or  -paths  ) 
is  expressed.  It  denotes  the  bye-ways  of  corrupt  inclination  and 
transgression,  by  which  men  deviate  from  the  straight  and  narrow 
highway  of  God's  commandments.  Compare  Deut.  ix.  16. 
Mai.  ii.  8,  9.  The  ivorkers  of  iniquity  are  not  a  different  class 
from  these  wanderers,  but  that  to  which  they  belong,  and  the 
doom  of  which  they  would  gladly  escape  ;  but  the  Lord  will  let 
them  go  on  still  with  those  whom  they  resemble  in  character, 
and  as  they  have  been  like  them  by  the  way,  they  shall  be  like 
them  in  the  end.  Compare  Ps.  xxvi.  9.  xxviii.  3.  Having  thus 
excluded  h^'^pocritical  pretenders  from  the  object  of  the  bene- 
diction, he  concludes  by  wishing  or  invoking  ^mc6  upon  (the  truo 
or  spiritual)  Israel.     Compare  Isai.  Ivii.  19,  21. 


PSALM    CXXVI.  21' 


PSALM     CXXVI. 

1.  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  In  Jehovah'' s  turning  (to)  the  turn'- 
ing  of  Zion^  ice  loere  like  (men)  dreaming.  The  church  acknow- 
ledges the  good  work  of  deliverance  as  joyfully  begun,  vs.  1 — 3,  and 
prays  that  it  may  be  completed,  vs.  4 — 6.  For  the  meaning  and 
construction  of  the  first  verb  see  above,  on  Ps.  xiv.  7.  Ixxxvi.  5  (4), 
and  compare  my  note  on  Isai.  lii.  8.  Instead  of  the  usual 
combination  (Sn^ad  is^b)  return  to  the  captivity.,  we  have  here  one 
resembling  it  in  form  (n^'d  Dnd)  but  meaning  to  return  to  the 
return  or  meet  those  returning,  as  it  were,  half-way.  Compare 
Deut.  XXX.  2,  3.  James  iv.  8.  The  Hebrew  noun  denotes  con- 
version, in  its  spiritual  sense,  and  the  verb  God's  gracious  conde- 
scension in  accepting  or  responding  to  it.  The  great  historical 
example  of  this  condescension,  which  the  Psalmist  had  immedi- 
ately in  view,  was  the  deliverance  from  Babylon  ;  but  the  terms 
are  so  selected  as  to  be  appropriate  to  the  most  intimate  personal 
experience  of  the  same  kind.  Zion  is  here  put  for  the  church  or 
chosen  people,  of  which  it  was  the  local  seat  or  centre.  Like  the 
dreamers  or  those  dreaming.^  i.  e.  out  of  our  ordinary  normal 
state,  and  in  an  ecstasy  or  trance,  arising  from  excess  of  joy. 
The  idea  of  incredulity  may  be  included,  but  must  not  be  suffered 
to  exclude  all  others. 

2.  Then  was  filled  with  laughter  our  mouthy  and  our  tongm 
with  singing  ;  then  said  they  among  the  nations,  Jehovah  hath  dona 
great  things  to  these  (people.)  The  particle  (tx)  then  is  follow  -d 
by  the  future  in   the  sense  of  the  preterite,  in  prose  as  well  aa 

VOL.  III.    10. 


218  PSALM    CXXVI. 

poetry.  See  Ex.  xv.  1.  Deut.  iv.  41.  Josh.  10,  12.  There  ia 
no  need  therefore  of  supposing  that  the  writer  simply  retained 
the  future  forms  of  the  passage  from  which  this  was  copied, 
namely,  Job  viii.  21.  Laughter  and  singings  both  as  signs  of 
joy.  Done  great  things^  literally  magnified  to  do^  an  idiomatic 
phrase  borrowed  from  Joel  ii.  21.  To  thcse^  literally  with  tJiest^ 
i.  e.  in  his  associations  and  transactions  with  them. 

3.  Jehovah  has  done  great  things  to  us.  We  are  joyful.  This 
last  is  not  a  mere  appendage  to  the  first  clause,  we  are  glad  that 
he  has  done  great  things  for  us,  but  an  independent  proposition, 
containing  the  proof  of  that  by  which  it  is  preceded.  He  has 
indeed  dune  much  for  us,  for  whereas  we  were  lately  wretched, 
we  are  now  rejoicing,  or  more  closely  rendered,  have  become  joy- 
ful. 

4.  Turn.,  oh  Jehovah.,  to  our  captivity^  like  the  streams  in  the 
south.  The  prayer  is  that  God  will  return  to  or  revisit  his  peo- 
ple in  their  bondage  or  distress,  and  by  necessary  implication  set 
them  free  from  it.  See  above  on  v.  1,  where  we  have  a  studied 
variation  of  this  favourite  expression.  According  to  the  usual 
interpretation  {bring  back  our  captivity).,  this  verse  is  either  incon- 
sistent with  the  first,  or  a  proof  that  the  restoration  is  Lot  men- 
tioned there  as  past  already.  Like  the  streams  m  the  soxAhy  as  the 
temporary  torrents  in  the  dry  southern  district  of  Palestine  re- 
appear in  the  rainy  season,  after  having  ceased  to  flow  in  the  pre- 
cediiisc  drou2;ht. 

5  Those  soioing  with  weeping  with  singing  shall  nap.  Thost 
sawing.,  literally  the  solving,  i.  e.  the  (same  persons  or  the  very 
persons)  sowing.  With  weeping,  or  in  tears  ;  the  Hebrew  noun 
is  a  singular  collective.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  7  (6.)  xxxix.  13  (12.) 
Ivi.  9  (8.)  Siuging^  as  a  vocal  expression  of  joy.  Sje  above, 
on  V.  2.     The  figures  are  natural  and   common   ones  i)r  mean* 


PSALM    CXX\  I.  219 

ftnd  end,  or  for  the  beginning  and  the  issue  of  any  undertaking. 
They  may  have  been  suggested  here  by  the  mention  of  the  parch- 
ed and  thirsty  south,  where  the  fears  of  the  husbandman  are 
often  disappointed  by  abundant  rains  and  the  sudden  reappear 
ance  of  the  vanished  streams. 

6.  He  may  go  forth ^  he  may  go  forth^  and  weep^  bearing  (his) 
load  of  seed.  He  shall  come^  he  shall  come  with  singing.,  hearing 
sheaves.  The  emphatic  combination  of  the  finite  tense  with  the 
infinitive  is  altogether  foreign  from  our  idiom,  and  very  imper- 
fectly represented,  in  the  ancient  and  some  modern  versions,  by 
the  active  participle  (venieiites  venient,  coming  they  shall  come), 
which  conveys  neither  the  peculiar  form  nor  the  precise  sense  of 
the  Hebrew  phiase.  The  best  approximation  to  the  force  of 
the  original  is  Luther's  repetition  of  the  finite  tense,  he  shall 
come.,  he  shall  come,  because  in  all  such  cases  the  infinitive  is 
really  defined  or  determined  by  the  term  which  follows,  and  in 
sense,  though  not  in  form,  assimilated  to  it.  Load  of  seed,  liter- 
ally  drawing  or  draught  of  seed,  an  obscure  phrase  probably 
denoting  that  from  which  the  sower  draws  forth  seed  to  sow,  or 
perhaps  the  seed  itself  thus  drawn  forth.  The  only  analogous 
expression  is  in  Am.  ix.  13,  where  the  sower  is  called  (S^^i^n  "Tir'Jo) 
a  drawer  (forth)  of  seed.  The  common  version  (precious  seed) 
has  no  foundation  either  in  etymology  or  usage.  The  contrast  so 
beautifully  painted  in  this  verse  was  realized  in  the  experience  of 
Israel,  when  "  the  priests  and  the  levites,  and  the  rest  of  the  chil- 
dren of  the  captivity,  kept  the  dedication  of  the  house  of  God 
with  joy"  (Ezra  vi.  16),  "  and  kept  the  feast  of  unleavened 
broad  seven  days  with  joy,  because  the  Lord  had  made  them  joy- 
ful, and  turned  the  h°art  of  the  king  of  Assyria  unto  them,  to 
strengthen  their  hands  in  the  work  of  the  house  of  God,  the  God 
of  Israel"  (Ezra  vi.  22.)     See  also  Nehemiah  xii.  43. 


220  PSALM    CXXVII 


PSALM    CXXVII. 

1.  A  SoTig  of  the  Ascents.  By  Solomon.  If  Jehovah  will  not 
build  a  house ^  in  vain  toil  its  luilders  in  it.,  If  Jehovah  vnll  not 
keep  a  city.,  in  vain  watches  {its)  keeper.  This  is  the  central  psalm 
of  the  series,  having  seven  before  and  seven  after  it.  This 
position  it  may  owe  to  its  being  the  only  psalm  of  Solomon, 
whereas  four  are  by  David,  and  the  remaining  ten  probably  by 
one  and  the  same  author.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxx.  1.  The  ad- 
mission of  this  psalm  among  the  Songs  of  Pilgrimage  was  proba- 
bly occasioned  by  its  opening  words,  which,  though  admitting  of 
a  general  application,  were  peculiarly  appropriate  to  the  building 
both  of  the  first  and  second  temple.  It  was  perfectly  natural, 
apart  from  all  particular  divine  direction,  that  the  rebuilders  of 
the  temple  should  rejoice  to  appropriate  the  words  of  Solomon, 
their  great  exemplar.  The  correctness  of  the  title,  which 
ascribes  the  psalm  to  him,  is  not  only  free  from  any  plausible  ob- 
jection, but  abundantly  confirmed  by  its  internal  character,  its 
allusions  to  a  state  of  high  prosperity,  and  its  resemblance  to  the 
Book  of  Proverbs,  where  the  sentiment  here  uttered  is  frequently 
reiterated.  See  for  example  Prov.  x.  22.  The  general  princi- 
ple, that  human  care  and  toil  are  unavailing  without  God's  bless- 
ing, is  applied  successively  to  several  of  the  most  familiar  interests 
of  real  life.  Beyond  this  the  psalm  admits  of  no  subdivision. 
The  fiiist  specification  has  respect  to  human  dwellings,  both  on  a 
pmall  and  on  a  large  scale.  The  futures,  will  not  build.,  will  not 
keep.,  may  also  be  explained  as  presents,  huilds  not.,  keeps  not. 
The  phrase  (is)  in  it  or  on  it  is  to  be  connected  with  the  verb  and 


PSALM    CXXVII  221 

Dot  with  builders.  Watches^  wakes,  remains  awake,  but  always 
with  a  view  to  the  exercise  of  vigilance.  See  above  on  Ps. 
cii.  8,  and  compare  Prov.  viii.  34.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  is 
properly  the  participle  of  the  verb  translated  keep. 

2.  It  is  in  vain  for  you.,  rising  iip  early.,  sitting  doion  late.,  tat 
mg  the  bread  of  cares  (or  troubles.)  So  he  giveth  his  beloved  sleep 
The  first  phrase  means,  you  labour  in  vain.  Rising  up,  not 
nif^rely  from  sleep,  but  to  labour,  addressing  yourselves  to  work. 
Sitting  doicn,  to  rest  when  the  work  is  done.  The  contrast  is 
sufficiently  maintained  by  the  common  version,  sitting  up  laic ; 
but  it  is  objected  that  the  Hebrews  did  not  work  in  a  sitting  pos- 
ture. Both  these  phrases  are  peculiar  in  their  form — making 
early  (or  hastening)  to  rise — making  late  (or  delaying)  to  sit. 
Bread  of  cares  (or  troubles)  is  bread  earned  by  hard  toil  and  con- 
Bumed  amidst  it.  There  is  obvious  allusion  to  Gron.  iii.  17,  19. 
The  last  clause  is  exceedingly  obscure.  Some  understand  it  to 
mean  that  while  others  labour,  God's  beloved  sleeps.  But  this 
is  contradicted  by  notorious  facts  and  inconsistent  with  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Bible,  and  especially  the  Book  of  Proverbs,  with  re- 
spect to  idleness  and  diligence.  See  Prov.  vi.  y,  10.  xxxi.  27. 
Another  possible  interpretation  is  that  God  gives  his  beloved  re- 
freshing sleep  after  their  labour,  but  this  cannot  be  said  of  such 
exclusively.  The  latest  writers  understand  the  clause  to  mean, 
that  what  others  hope  to  gain  exclusively  by  labour,  but  in  vain, 
the  Lord  bestows  upon  his  people  while  they  sleep,  they  know 
not  how.  According  to  this  view  of  the  passage,  it^must  be  trans- 
lated, so,  i.  e.  such,  namely,  what  they  thus  seek,  he  gives  to  hii 
beloved  one  {in)  sleep.  This,  which  is  not  a  very  obvious  con- 
struction, derives  some  additional  colour  from  the  seeming  allusion 
^0  Solomon's  name  Jedidiah  (2  Sam.  xii.  25),  the  Beloved  of  the 
Lord.^  and  to  the  promise  of  prosperity  communicated  to  him  in  a 
dream  (1  Kings  iii.  5,  15.) 


222  PSALM    CXXVIl. 

3.  Zoj  a  heritage  from  Jehovah  {are)  children  ;  a  reward  (es; 
the.  fruit  of  the  womb.  What  is  true  of  dwellings  and  the  means 
of  subsistence  is  no  less  true  of  those  for  whom  these  advantages 
are  commonly  provided.  An  inheritance  or  heritage^  i.  e.  a  val- 
uable possession  derived  from  a  father.  Children,  literally  sons, 
a  term  very  often  used  indefinitely.  A  reward  or  hire,  the  ex- 
pression used  by  Leah,  in  naming  her  son  Issachar,  Gen.  xxx.  18. 
In  the  same  chapter  (G-en.  xxx.  2)  children  are  called  the  fruit 
of  the  womb,  and  represented  as  the  gift  of  God.  See  also 
Deut.  vii    13. 

4.  As  arrows  hi  the  hand  of  a  warrior,  so  are  the  sons  of  youth. 
The  first  clause  describes  them  as  defenders  of  their  parents.  A 
warrior,  literally,  a  strong  or  {niighty)  one.  Sons  of  youth,  i.  e. 
born  while  their  parents  are  still  young.  See  Gen.  xxxvii.  3. 
Isai.  liv.  6.  The  allusion  is  not  only  to  their  vigour  (Gen.  xlix. 
3),  but  to  the  value  of  their  aid  to  the  parent  in  declining  age. 

5.  Happy  the  man  tvho  has  filled  his  quiver  with  them — they  shall 
not  he  put  to  shame — they  shall  speak  with  adversaries  in  the  gate. 
The  first  clause  carries  out  the  figure  of  arrows  in  the  verse  pre- 
ceding. The  mention  of  the  gate,  in  the  last  clause,  as  the  place 
both  of  commercial  and  judicial  business,  seems  to  mark  a  transi- 
tion from  martial  to  forensic  conflict,  and  to  show  that  the  ene- 
mies or  adversaries  here  meant  are  adverse  parties  in  litigation. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  13  (12.)  For  a  striking  contrast  to  this 
picture,  see  Job  v.  4,  This  last  example,  although  perfectly  in 
keeping  with  the  views  of  the  ancient  Israelites  in  genera;  seems 
peculiarly  natural  and  life-like  in  a  psalm  of  Solomon 


PSALM    CXXVIII. 


223 


PSALM    CXXYIir 

1.  A  Song  of  Ascents.  ITappy  is  every  fearer  of  Jehovah^  th% 
(one)  walking  in  his  ways,  lliis  psalm  seems  intended  to  assuie 
the  tempted  and  discouraged  people  of  Judah,  under  the  most 
adverse  circumstances,  that  devotion  to  his  service  cannot  lose  its 
reward.  As  if  he  had  said,  however  things  may  now  seem  to 
an  eye  of  sense,  it  is  still  a  certain' truth,  that  the  truly  happy 
man  is  he  who  fears  Jehovah,  not  in  mere  profession,  but  who 
testifies  his  fear  of  him  by  walking  in  his  ways  or  doing  his  com- 
mandments. 

2.  The  labour  of  thy  hands  when  thou  shall  eat,  happy  thou  and 
well  with  thee.  The  promise  implied  is  the  opposite  of  the  threaten- 
ing in  Deut.  xxviii.  33.  Lev.  xxvi.  16.  What  the  enemies  of 
Israel  are  there  described  as  doing,  it  is  here  said  that  Israel  shall 
do  himself.  Well  with  thee.,  literally,  good  for  thee.  The  con- 
junction ("^5)  in  the  first  clause  is  not  to  be  construed  as  in  Ps. 
cxviii.  10,  but  as  a  particle  of  time.  Happy  thou.,  or  oh  thy 
happinesses,  is  an  expression  borrowed' from  Deut.  xxxiii.  29. 

3.  Thy  wife,  as  a  fruitful  vine  ^J  the  sides  of  thy  house; thy 
sons,  as  olive-plants  around  thy  table.  The  word  translated  sides 
always  means  the  edge  or  border,  and,  according  to  some,  the 
innermost  part.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xlviii.  3  (2.)  Sons,  as  usual, 
represent  the  children  of  both  sexes.  The  olive-plants  are  em- 
blems of  luxuriance  and  fruitfulness.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Hi.  10 


224  PS.\LM    CXXVIII. 

(S),  and  compare  Jer.  xi.  16.     The  Hebrew  for  around  or  ahoul 
is  the  same  as  in  Ps.  cxxv.  2. 

4  5gg — j'or  so  shall  he  •llcsscd  the  man  f taring  Jehovah.  The 
lo  or  Uhold  at  the  beginning  is  equivalent  to  saying,  Look  upon 
this  picture,  for  it  represents  the  state  of  one  who  truly  fears  the 
Lord.  Although  such  a  connection  between  goodness  and  pros- 
perity was  far  more  uniform  and  constant  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment than  now,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  these  promises  were 
actually  verified  in  the  experience  of  every  godly  Israelite.  This 
has  led  some  of  the  most  eminent  interpreters  to  the  conclusion, 
that  the  promises  of  this  psalm  are  not  personal  at  all,  but  ad- 
dressed to  an  ideal  person  representing  the  whole  class  of  true 
believers,  the  true  Israel. 

5.  Jehovah  bless  thee  out  of  Zion^  and  look  thou  upon  the  welfare 
(f  Jerusalem.  The  consecution  of  the  future  and  imperative  is 
the  same  as  in  Ps.  ex.  2.  The  latter  might  therefore  be  trans- 
lated as  a  promise,  the  Lord  shall  bless  thee^  but  the  optative  mean- 
ing seems  more  natural  in  this  connection.  In  either  case,  the 
imperative  conveys  substantially  the  same  idea.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxxvii.  3,  4,  27.  From  Zion,  as  his  earthly  residence,  the 
^'ojit  of  the  theocracy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xx.  3  (2.)  Look  upon., 
<^ith  joy  and  triumph.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  18  (17.;  xxxvii. 
'^4,  liv.  9  (8.)  Welfare.^  literally  goodness.,  not  of  character  but 
of  condition,  good  fortune.  .The  Hebrew  word  occurs  above,  Ps 
fcxix.  66. 

6.  And  see  thou  sons  to  thy  sons.  Peace  (be)  upon  Israel  !  The 
first  clause  is  a  virtual  promise  of  long  life — thou  shall  see  thy  child- 
^en'^s  children.  An  interesting  parallel  is  furnished  by  Zech.  viii. 
4,  the  whole  of  which  chapter  is  indeed  a  prophetic  commentary 
on  this  psalm.  For  the  meaning  of  the  last  clause,  see  above,  on 
Ps   cxxv.  5. 


PSALM    CXXIX.  225 


PSALM    CXXIX. 

1.  A  Song  of  the  Ascents.  Many  [a  time)  have  they  distressed 
me  from  my  youth — oh  let  Israel  say  !  On  the  rf^collection  of  de- 
liverances in  times  past,  vs.  1 — 4,  rests  the  hope  of  others  in  timp 
to  come,  vs.  5 — 8.  The  first  word  after  the  inscription  properly 
means  viuch  or  too  much.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxx.  6.  cxxiii.  4. 
But  most  interpreters  agree  in  referring  it  to  time,  as  in  the  Eng- 
lish version,  many  a  time  or  often.  The  youth  of  Israel,  as  a  na- 
tion, was  the  period  of  his  residence  in  Egypt.  See  Hos.  ii.  17. 
Jer.  ii.  2.  xxii.  21.  Ezek.  xxiii.  3.  For  the  optative  meaning  of 
the  last  clause,  and  the  true  sense  of  the  Hebrew  particle  (^^), 
see  above,  on  Ps.  cxviii.  2.  cxxiv.  1.  Distressed.,  persecuted  or 
oppressed  me.  Compare  the  use  of  the  participle  in  Ps.  vi.  8  (7.) 
vii.  5  (4.)  xxiii.  5. 

2.  Many  {a  time)  have  they  distressed  me  from  my  youth  ;  yet 
have  they  not  prevailed  against  me.  The  statement  in  the  first 
verse  is  repeated,  for  the  sake  of  being  joined  with  one  of  a  more 
cheering  character.  Yet,  literally,  also.  As  if  he  had  said :  it  is 
true  that  they  have  so  done,  but  it  is  also  true,  etc.  Prevailed 
against  me,  literally,  heen  able  {as)  to  me,  i.  e.  able  to  accomplish 
their  designs  respecting  me.  See  Gren.  xxxii.  2Q  (25),  and  com- 
•are  Ps.  xiii.  5  (4.) 

3.  Upon  my  hack  ploughed  ploughers  ;  they  made  long  their  fur- 
rcws.     The  expression  on  my  back  seems  to  show  that  the  allusion 

10* 


226  PSALM    CXXIX. 

is  to  wounds  produced  by  stripes.  As  if  he  had  said,  my  baclj 
was  fuirowed  by  their  whips  or  scourges.  We  have  here  then  an 
example  of  the  image  of  an  image.  The  ploughing  is  a  figure  for 
scourging,  and  the  scourging  a  figure  for  the  manifold  sufferings 
inflicttd  upon  Israel  by  his  cruel  enemies. 

4.  Jehovah  (is)  righteous  ;  he  cut  the  cord  of  the  wicked.  He  is 
righteous,  and  therefore  faithful  to  his  promise,  and  to  his  cove- 
nant engagements  to  his  people.  The  cord  (not  cords)  is  that 
which  fostened  the  ox  to  the  plough.  This  continuation  of  the 
figure  in  v.  3  is  much  more  natural  than  the  assumption  of  a  new 
one,  that  of  confinement  by  the  tying  of  the  limbs,  as  in  Ps.  ii.  3. 
According  to  the  first  translation  above  given,  the  meaning  of  the 
clause  is,  that  Jehovah  put  an  end  to  their  inflictions  by  a  violent 
separation  from  their  victim. 

5.  Shamed  and  turned  hack  are  fand  shall  be)  all  haters  of 
Zion.  What  Jehovah  has  already  done  for  Zion,  as  recorded  in 
V.  4,  creates  and  justifies  the  confident  belief,  that  he  will  do  still 
more.  This  language  was  peculiarly  appropriate  to  Israel  at  the 
Restoration,  when  the  main  deliverance  had  already  been  accom- 
plished, but  others  were  still  needed  to  complete  the  happy 
revolution.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  vi.  11  (10.) 
XXXV.  4  f3.j  xl.  14  (13  ) 

6.  They  shall  be  like  the  grass  of  the  house-tops^  which.,  before 
one  pulls  {it)^  withers.  The  flat  roofs  of  the  oriental  houses 
being  often  covered  with  earth,  grass  and  weeds  readily  spring  up, 
but  having  no  depth  of  root  soon  wither.  Compare  my  note  on 
Isai.  xxxvii.  27,  from  which  place  the  figure  is  here  borrowed. 
The  common  version  {afore  it  groweth  up)  is  founded  on  Je- 
rome's {stalim  ut  viruerit.)  The  other  is  supported  by  the  Sep- 
tuagint  and  Vulgate  (^^o  loD  Ixunuadfivui^  priusquam   evellatur) 


PSALM    ex  XIX.  237 

and  by  the  usage  of  the   verb   {^T>^)  in  the  sense  of  drawing 
(a  sword),  drawing  off  (a  shoe)  etc 

7.  (With)  which  the  reaper  fills  not  his  hand  and  his  hosom^ 
(when)  binding  sheaves.  The  ephemeral  and  worthless  vegeta 
tion  of  the  house-top  is  contrasted  still  further  with  the  useful  pro- 
ducts of  the  earth,  in  order  to  contrast  still  more  strongly  the 
end  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked.  The  last  Hebrew  word  is 
translated  above  strictly  as  a  paiticiple  of  the  verb  (^^5)  to  bind 
or  gather  sheaves,  and  may  agree  with  ('l^lp)  reaper  in  the  first 
clause.  Since  the  latter,  however,  is  itself  a  participle  used  as  a 
noun,  most  interpreters  put  the  same  construction  on  the  other 
word,  and  suppose  it  to  denote  a  different  person  from  the  reaper. 
TVith  which  the  reaper  fills  not  his  hand  nor  his  hosom  the  sheaf - 
hinder.  The  word  translated  hosom  is  explained  by  lexicogra- 
phers to  mean  the  front  fold  of  the  oriental  robe,  in  which  things 
are  carried.  It  might  also  be  translated  lap.  Hengstenberg's 
version  is  his  arm.     Compare  my  note  on  Isai.  xlix.  22. 

8  Nor  do  the  passers  by  say.^  The  blessing  of  Jehovah  ('come) 
unto  yoUj  we  bless  you  in  the  name  of  Jehovah.  The  negative 
description  is  still  carried  out,  with  unusual  distinctness  and  par- 
ticularity This  verse  affords  an  interesting  glimpse  of  ancient 
harvest  usages,  confirmed  by  the  historical  statement  in  Kuth  ii.  4, 
from  the  analogy  of  which  place  it  is  altogether  probable,  although 
denied  by  some,  that  there  is  here  allusion  to  the  alternate  or 
responsive  salutations  in  common  use  among  the  people.  We 
may  then  supply  in  thought  before  the  last  clause,  nor  receive 
the  customary  ansiver.  As  the  Hebrew  preposition  before  you 
does  not  mean  on  but  to  or  unto^  it  seems  better  to  supply  com 
than  be.     With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  cxviii.  26. 


228  PSALM    CXXX, 


rSALM     CXXX. 

1.  A  Song  of  Ascents.  Out  of  ike.  dejpths  do  I  inv(kt  tkfie^  ok 
Jehovah  !  This  is  the  penitential  psalm  of  the  seiie?,  in  which 
the  guilt  of  the  chosen  people  is  distinctly  acknowledged,  as  the 
cause  of  its  calamities,  but  not  as  an  occasion  of  despair.  After 
an  introductory  petition  to  be  heard,  vs.  1,  2,  comes  the  indirect 
confession  of  sin,  vs.  3,  4,  then  an  expression  of  strong  confidence, 
vs.  5,  6,  and  an  exhortation  to  Israel  to  indulge  the  same,  vs.  7,  8. 
The  distinction  made  in  this  last  stanza,  between  Israel  at  large 
and  the  penitent  who  utters  the  previous  confession,  would  seem 
to  show,  that  the  latter  is  to  bo  conceived  of  as  an  individual, 
and  not  as  representing  the  whole  people.  But  the  best  inter- 
preters are  of  opinion,  that  the  distinction  is  entirely  formal,  and 
that  the  object  of  address  in  the  last  stanza  is  identical  with  the 
person  speaking  in  the  others.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixix.  3,  15 
(2,  14),  and  compare  Isai.  li.  10,  in  all  which  places  the  word 
translated  depths  occurs,  and  in  the  same  sense,  as  a  figure  for 
extreme  dejection  and  distress.  The  figure  itself  is  also  used  in 
Ps.  xl.  3  (2.)  Ezek.  xxvii.  34. 

2.  Lord.,  hearken  to  my  voice  ;  let  thine  ears  he  attentive  to  the 
voice  of  my  supplications.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  ("'3"^) 
the  one  strictly  meaning  Lord.,  and  showing  that  the  prayer  \» 
offered  to  a  sovereign  God.  The  common  verb  (5?Dd)  to  hear  is 
here  construed  with  a  preposition  (a),  thus  resembling,  in  its  syn- 
tax, our  verbs  hearken.,  listen.      The  adjectivA  atte^itive  is  peculiai 


PSALM    CXXX.  229 

to  the  later  Hebrew,  though  its  verbal  root  is  of  fioqucnt  occur- 
rence in  the  psalms.  Supplications^  praj^ers  for  grace  or  mercy 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  6.  xxxi.  23  (22.) 

3  If  iniquities  thou  mark^  oh  Jah — oh  Lord^  who  shall  standi 
This  interrogation  clearly  implies  consciousness  of  guilt,  and  is 
therefore  an  indirect  confession  of  it.  To  7nark  is  to  note,  take 
notice  of,  observe.  The  Hebrew  verb  is  used  in  precisely  the 
game  manner,  Job  x.  14.  xiv.  16.  To  $ta7id  is  to  stand  one's 
ground,  maintain  one's  innocence,  and  perhaps  in  this  case,  to 
endure  one's  sentence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  6,  and  compare 
Nah.  i.  6.  Mai.  iii.  2.  The  question  is  equivalent  to  a  strong 
negation,  or  an  affirmation  that  none  can  stand. 

4.  For  with  thee  {there  is)  forgiveness^  to  the  intent  that  thou 
mayest  he  feared.  The /or  has  reference  to  a  thought  suppressed 
but  easily  supplied.  Since  none  can  stand,  oh  Lord,  forgive,  for 
with  thee,  etc.  Or,  since  none  can  stand,  our  only  hope  is  in 
free  forgiveness,  for  with  thee  etc.  With  thee.,  belonging  to 
thee,  exercised  by  thee.  The  word  YendiQvedi  forgiveness  is  pecu- 
liar to  the  later  Hebrew  ;  its  plural  form  occurs  in  Neh.  ix.  17. 
The  forgiveness  that  we  need,  the  {oidy)  forgiveness  that  is  avail- 
able or  attainable.  To  the  intent.,  for  this  very  purpose,  not 
merely  so  that.,  as  an  incidental  consequence.  Fear  or  godly 
reverence  is  hert;  represented  as  one  fruit  and  evidence  of  par- 
doned sin. 

5.  I  wait  for  Jehovah — my  soul  waits — and  in  his  word  do  1 
hope.  The  last  verb  also  means  to  wait  for  his  word,  i.  e  the 
fulfilment  of  his  promise,  as  in  Ps.  cxix.  74,  81,  82,  114,  147. 
My  soul  waits,  I  wait  with  all  my  soul  or  heart.  My  powers  and 
aifections  are  absorbed  in  this  earnest  expectation 

6    My  soul  [vfSiits)  for  the  Lord  more  than  (thoso)  watching 


j^jo  psalm  cxxx. 

fur  the  mirmng — walchmg  for  the  morning.  There  is  some" 
thing  beautiful  and  toucliing  in  this  simple  repetition,  though  it  is 
not  easy  to  account  for  its  effect,  which  is  sensibly  impaired  by 
the  attempt  made  in  the  English  version  to  relieve  the  baldness 
of  the  iteration,  I  say  more  than  they  that  watch  for  the  morning. 
The  comparison  suggested  is  between  the  impatience  of  nocturnal 
watchers  for  the  break  of  day  and  that  of  sufferers  for  relief,  or 
of  convicted  sinners  for  forgiveness. 

7.  Hope  thoUy  Israel^  in  Jehovah  j  for  with  Jehovah  (is)  mercy 
and  abundantly  with  him  redemption.  The  third  person  used  in 
the  English  Bible  [let  Israel  hojpe  in  the  Lord)  is  an  inaccuracy 
the  more  remarkable  because  not  found  in  the  Prayer  Book  Ver- 
sion {Ok  Israd,  trust  in  the  Lord.)  In  Jehovah,  literally  to  him, 
i.  e.  look  to  him  with  confident  expectation,  as  in  Isai.  li,  5. 
The  construction  in  the  last  clause  is  idiomatic  and  not  suscepti- 
ble of  close  translation.  The  word  corresponding  to  ahundantly 
is  the  infinitive  of  a  verb  meaning  to  increase  or  multiply,  but  is 
often  used  adverbially  in  the  sense  of  much,  greatly,  or  abun- 
dantly. See  above,  on  Ps.  li.  4(2.)  i^e^gm^/zW,  deliverance, 
especially  from  bondage,  that  of  Babylon  in  Ps.  cxi.  9,  that  of 
sin  or  condemnation  in  the  case  before  us. 

8.  And  lie  will  redeem  Israel  from  all  his  iniquities.  The  pro- 
noun is  emphatic  ;  only  trust  him  for  redemption,  and  he  will 
himself  redeem  thee.  As  the  first  clause  shows  by  whom  Israel 
is  to  be   redeemed,  to  wit,  by  God  alone,  so   the  second  shows 

-  from  what,  to  wit,  from  sin,  as  the  cause  of  his  sufferings.  This 
is  a  very  significant  variation  of  the  older  passage,  Ps.  xxv.  22. 
where  the  sufferings  alone  are  expressly  mentioned. 


PSALM    CXXXI.  i231 


PSALM    CXXXI. 

I  A  Song  of  Ascents.  By  David.  Ok  Je/i ova//,.,  not  haughty 
IS  my  htart.,  omd  not  lofty  are  my  eyes.,  and  I  meddle  not  with  great 
{things)  and  (with  things)  too  wonderful  for  me.  This  short 
psalm  is  perfectly  in  David's  manner,  as  well  as  his  spirit,  dis 
playing  in  a  high  degree  that  childlike  royalty,  in  which  he  is 
resembled  by  no  other  even  of  the  sacred  writers.  Haughty.,  lite- 
rally high.,  but  with  particular  reference  to  hauteur  or  loftiness  of 
spirit.  Lofty  eyes  are  mentioned  elsewhere  by  David  himself  as 
a  sign  of  pride.  See  Ps.  xviii.  28  (27.)  ci.  5.  The  elation  here 
described  is  elsewhere  represented  as  the  natural  fruit  of  undis- 
turbed prosperity.  See  Deut.  xxxii.  15.  2  Cbron.  xxvi.  16.  xxxii. 
25.  lliis  confirms  the  Davidic  origin  of  the  psalm,  and  shows  that 
it  was  only  adapted  by  the  later  writer  to  his  own  purpose,  when  the 
original  conception  would  have  been  almost  impossible.  Meddle^ 
literally,  walk  or  loalk  aboiit,  i.  e.  employ  or  (as  the  English  versions 
have  it)  exercise  myself.  Too  wonderful  for  me,  .wonderfully 
done  (more)  than  I  (can  comprehend.)  The  great  and  wonderful 
things  meant  are  God's  secret  purposes  and  sovereign  means  for 
their  accomplishment,  in  which  man  is  not  called  to  co-operate 
but  to  acquiesce.  As  David  practised  this  forbearance  by  bis 
patient  expectation  of  the  kingdom,  both  before  and  after  the 
daath  of  Saul,  so  he  here  describes  it  as  a  characteristic  of  the 
phosen  people. 

2.    (God  knows)  if  I  have  not  soothed  and  quieted  my  soul,  as  a 
weaned  (child  leans)  upon  his  mother ;  as  a  weaned  (child  leans'! 


232  PSALM    CXXXI. 

0??  me  my  soul.  The  first  clause  contains  a  strong  asseveration,  in 
the  idioDiatic  form  of  an  ancient  oath,  very  feebly  represented  by 
our  adverb  surely.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  36  (35.)  The  word 
translated  soothed  means  rather  smoothed^  levelled,  as  in  Tsai. 
xxviii.  25.  Quieted^  stilled,  hushed,  reduced  to  silence.  The 
repeated  use  of  the  preposition  on  in  this  connection  is  so  marked 
and  striking,  that  it  seems  to  make  it  necessary  to  supply  a  verb 
with  which  it  may  be  construed.  This  is  certainly  better  than  to 
give  it  a  different  meaning  in  the  two  clauses,  or  in  both  one  which 
does  not  belong  to  it.  In  the  version  above  given,  the  comparison 
suggested  is  between  a  weaned  child,  quietly  reposing  on  its  moth- 
er's breast,  without  desiring  to  be  suckled  as  of  old,  and  the  soul  of 
the  Psalmist,  by  a  bold  conception  represented  as  his  child,  and 
acting  in  like  manner.  Hengstenberg  denies  that  there  is  any 
reference  to 'the  mother's  milk,  or  that  wcamedhfi^  any  other 
meaning  here  than  that  of  infant  or  young  child,  as  in  Isai.  xi.  8. 
xxviii.  9.  The  comparison  is  then  coincident  with  that  in  Mattb. 
xviii.  3,  4.  But  the  use  of  the  word  weaned^  which  was  here  re- 
quired by  no  parallelism  as  in  Isaiah,  and  the  singular  aptness  of 
the  figure  suggested  by  the  word  when  strictly  understood,  have 
led  most  interpreters,  and  will  probably  lead  most  readers,  to  pre- 
fer the  obvious  and  strict  interpretation. 

3.  Hojpe  thou^  Israel^  in  Jehovah^  from  now  even  to  tternity. 
This  is  the  opposite  of  the  feeling  disavowed  in  the  preceding 
verses.  From  the  first  clause  that  of  Ps.  cxxx.  7  was  no  doubt 
borrowed  by  the  later  writer,  who  prefixed  that  psalm  to  the  one 
before  us.     With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  cxxi.  8. 


PSALM    CXXXII.  QX'\ 


PSALM    CXXXII. 

1  A  Sojig  of  Ascents  Rememler^  oh  Jehovah^  for  Davii,  all 
kU  affiidion.  This  psalm  contains  a  commemoration  of  David's 
zeal  for  the  house  of  God,  vs.  1 — 9,  and  a  prayer  that  it  may  be 
rewarded  by  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  to  him  and  to  his  house, 
vs.  10 — IS.  The  common  version  (retneniber  David  and  all  his 
afflictions)  omits  a  preposition  and  inserts  a  conjunction,  both 
without  necessity.  The  same  verb  and  preposition  (5  15T)  are 
combined  elsewhere,  in  the  sense  of  remembering  something  in  a 
person's  favour,  to  his  advantage,  for  his  benefit.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xcviii.  3.  cvi.  45.  cxix.  49.  So  here  :  remember,  in  behalf 
of  David,  how  he  was  distressed.  The  common  version  of  this 
last  phrase  {all  his  afflictions)  suppose^  the  Hebrew  word  (riiSSJ) 
to  be  a  plural  noun,  whereas  it  is  the  infinitive  of  the  passive  verb 
(m^25>)  to  be  afflicted  or  distressed  (Ps.  cxix.  71),  and  is  therefore 
more  correctly  rendered  in  the  Prayer  Book  {all  his  trouble.) 
The  precise  sense  is,  his  being  afflicted.  The  distress  referred  to 
is  the  great  anxiety  which  David  felt,  first  to  reunite  the  ark  and 
tabernacle,  and  then  to  build  a  more  permanent  sanctuary.  This^ 
zeal  for  the  house  of  God  is  one  of  the  most  characteristic  features 
in  the  history  of  David,  and  for  this  he  was  rewarded,  not  only 
with  a  promise  that  his  son  should  execute  his  favourite  design, 
but  also  with  a  promise  that  God  would  build  a  house  for  him,  by 
granting  a  perpetual  succession  in  his  family  upon  the  throne  of 
Judah.  This  promise  seemed  to  be  forgotten  at  the  time  of  the 
Captivity,  and  even  after  the  first  Restoration,  when  the  house  of 
David  was  reduced  so  low,  that  its  hereditary  representative, 


g34  PSALM    CXXXII. 

Zerubbabel,  never  even  bore  the  royal  title.  The  form  of  the 
petition  in  this  verse  is  copied  from  that  of  Solomon,  at  the  dedi- 
cation of  the  temple,  as  recorded  in  2  Chron.  vi.  42. 

2.  Who  swore  to  Jehovah,  vowed  to  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob. 
This  last  expression  is  borrowed,  both  here  and  in  Isai.  i.  24,  from 
Jacob  himself.     See  G-en.  xlix.  24. 

3.  If  I  go  into  the  tent  (which  is)  my  house ^  if  I  go  up  on  tht 
led  (which  is)  viy  couch.  The  elliptical  form  of  swearing  here 
used  is  equivalent  to  saying,  I  will  not  go.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  cxxxi.  2.  The  tent  my  house,  the  couch  my  bed,  are 
mere  poetical  expressions  for  the  house  where  I  dwell,  the  couch 
where  I  lie.  Instead  of  being  in  apposition,  however,  they  may 
be  in  regimen,  the  tent  of  my  house,  the  couch  of  my  bed,  i.  e.  the 
dwelling  place  of  my  house,  the  resting  place  of  my  bed. 

A.  If  I  give  sleep  to  my  eyes,  to  my  eyelids  slumber.  This  is  a 
part  of  the  sentence  begun  in  v.  3  and  completed  in  v.  5.  The 
promise  is,  of  course,  n^t  to  be  absolutely  understood,  but  as 
meaning,  that  he  would  not  sleep  at  ease,  or  abandon  himself  to 
undisturbed  repose,  till  the  condition  was  complied  with. 

5.  Until  I  find  a  place,  for  Jehovah,  dwellings  for  the  Mighty 
One  of  Jacob.  The  implication  in  the  first  clause,  that  Jehovah 
was  without  a  place  on  earth,  may  remind  us  of  Christ's  memor- 
able saying,  Matt.  viii.  20.  Luke  ix.  58.  The  word  translated  dwel- 
lings is  peculiarly  expressive,  because,  although  strictly  a  generic 
term,  it  is  specially  applied  in  usage  to  the  sanctuary  with  its 
enclosures  and  appondages.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  2  (1.) 

6.  Lo,  we  heard  it  in  Ephrathah  ;  we  found  it  in  the  fields  of 
the  wood.  These  are  most  probably  the  words  of  David  and  his 
CPtt^-emporaries  -with  respect  to  the  recovery  of  the  ark.      We 


PSALM    CXXXII.  235 

hard  it,  or  heard  of  it,  i.  e.  of  the  ark,  i  nplying  that  they  did 
not  see  it,  that  it  was  out  of  public  view.  In  Ephrathah  has 
been  variously  explained.  Some  suppose  it  to  mean  Ephraim,  as 
Ephrathi  means  an  Ephraimite,  and  apply  the  words  to  Shiloh, 
where  the  ark  was  long  deposited.  But  Ephrathah  itself  is  never 
60  used  elsewhere,  and  the  ark,  while  at  Shiloh,  was  as  much  iu 
public  view  as  at  Jerusalem.  Others,  because  Bethlehem  Eph- 
rathah and  Bethlehem  Judah  are  convertible  expressions  (1  Sam. 
xvii.  12.  Mic.  v.  1),  make  Ephrathah  another  name  for  Judah, 
which  it  never  is,  however,,  twhen  it  stands  by  itself.  The  only 
explanation,  equally  agreeable  to  usage  and  the  context,  is  that 
which  makes  Ephrathah  the  ancient  name  of  Bethlehem  (Gen 
xlviii.  7j,  here  mentioned  as  the  place  where  David  spent  his 
youth,  and  where  he  used  to  hear  of  the  ark,  although  he  never 
saw  it  till  long  afterwards,  when  he  found  it  in  the  fields  of  the 
wood,  or  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Kirjath-jearim,  which  name 
means  Forest-town  or  City  of  the  Woods.  Compare  1  Sam.  vii.  1 
with  2  Sam.  vi.  3,  4. 

7.  Let  us  come  to  his  divelVmgs  ;  let  ws  low  doivn  to  his  foot- 
stool. Another  step  is  here  taken  in  reviewing  the  history  of  the 
sanctuary  and  of  David's  zeal  for  it.  These  are  such  words  as 
might  have  been  spoken  at  the  public  and  solemn  introduction  of 
the  ark  into  Jerusalem.  As  if  it  had  been  said  :  the  ark  of  God 
has  long  been  lost  or  out  of  sight,  but  now  that  a  dwelling  is  provi- 
ded for  it  on  Mount  Zion,  let  us  come  etc.  Without  any  material 
change  of  sense,  the  future  form  may  be  retained,  and  the  para- 
gogic  augment  understood  to  express  a  strong  determination. 
Now  that  the  ark  is  established  on  Mount  Zion,  we  will  come  etc. 
With  respect  to  the  representation  of  the  ark  as  the  footstool  of 
Jehovah,  and  the  act  of  bowing  down  to  it,  see  above,  op  Ps 
Kcix.  5. 

8.  Arise,  Jehovah,  to  thy  resting-place,  thou  and  the  ark  of  thy 


286  PSALM    CXXXII. 

strengfk.  Here  again  the  form  of  expression  is  borrowed  from  the 
words  of  Solomon  at  the  dedication  of  the  temple,  as  recorded  in 
2  Chr  vi.  41.  This  shows  that  the  Psalmist  regarded  Solomop 
as  merely  carrying  out  his  father's  plan,  or  acting  as  th«e  executoi* 
of  his  will,  which  is  in  fact  the  mutual  relation  of  these  personages 
as  they  appear  in  sacred  history.  A  more  remote  allusion 
may  he  traced  to  Num.  x.  35.  See  above,' on  Ps.  Ixviii.  2(1.) 
The  word  translated  resting-place  has  here  its  proper  meaning  as 
a  local  noun.  The  last  clause  shows  the  true  import  of  the  ark 
in  the  Mosaic  system,  as  a  pledge  and  token  of  Jehovah's  pres- 
ence, so  that  its  solemn  entrance  into  Zion  was  the  entrance  of 
the  Lord  himself,  and  to  bow  down  to  it  was  to  worship  him.  T/ie 
ark  of  thy  strength  is  by  some,  in  accordance  with  a  common 
Hebrew  idiom ,  resolved  into  thy  ark  of  strength,  and  that  into  thy 
strong  (or  mighty)  ark.  It  is  simpler,  however,  and  in  this  case 
yields  a  better  meaning,  to  retain  the  original  expression  in  its 
obvious  sense,  the  ark  which  assures  us  of  the  presence  and  exer- 
tion of  thy  power  for  our  protection, 

9.  Let  thy  priests  be  clothed  with  righteousness,  and  let  thy  saints 
shout  (or  sing,)  This  is  the  conclusion  of  the  sentence  quoted 
from  2  Chr.  vi.  41.  Instead  oi  righteousness  we  there  read  salva- 
tion, which  has  led  some  to  explain  the  two  words  as  synonymous, 
while  others  understand  by  righteousness  the  practical  justijBcation 
which  salvation  carries  with  it.  Another  possible  construction  is 
to  take  the  righteousness  as  that  of  God,  which  is  displayed  in 
the  salvation  of.  his  people,  and  in  which  his  priests,  who  officially 
declared  it,  might  be  said  to  clothe  themselves.  See  the  same 
figure  in  Job  xxix.  14.  Saints,  gracious  ones,  or  true  believers. 
The  parallel  passage  has,  rejoice  in  good  or  goodness. 

10.  For  the  sake  of  David  thy  servant,  turn  not  aivay  the  face 
of  thine  Anointed.  The  most  obvious  construction  of  this  vei-se 
15  that  which  makes  it  intercede,  on  the  ground  of  the  divine  par- 


PSALM    CXXXII.  237 

(iaiity  to  David,  for  another  person,  supposed  by  some  to  be  one 
or  more  of  his  successors  in  the  kingly  office,  by  others  Israel  at 
large.  A  comparison,  however,  of  the  place  from  which  the 
words  are  borrowed  (2  Chron.  vi.  42)  and  of  v.  17  below,  makes 
it  highly  probable  that  both  clauses  relate  to  David  himself. 
This  may  be  rendered  clearer  and  more  natural  by  making  the 
first  clause  an  elliptical  petition,  entirely  distinct  from  the  second. 
For  the  sake  of  David  thy  servant  (grant  these  requests  which  are 
really  his)  ;  turn  not  away  (his  face  which  is)  the  face  of  thine  Anoint- 
ed. The  frequency  with  which  God  is  urged  to  hear  and  answer 
prayer/ijr  David's  hake  (1  Kings  xi.  12,  13.  xv.  4.  2  Kings  viii.  19, 
etc.)  is  not  to  be  explained  by  making  David  mean  the  promise 
to  David,  nor  fi-om  the  personal  favour  of  which  he  was  the 
object,  but  from  his  historical  position,  as  the  great  theocratical 
model,  in  whom  it  pleased  God  that  the  old  economy  should 
reach  its  culminating  point,  and  who  is  always  held  up  as  the  type 
and  representative  of  the  Messiah,  so  that  all  the  intervening 
kings  are  mere  connecting  links,  and  their  reigns  mere  repetitions 
and  continuations  of  the  reign  of  David,  with  more  or  less  resem- 
blance as  they  happened  to  be  good  or  bad.  Hence  the  frequen- 
cy with  which  his  name  appears  in  the  later  Scriptures,  com- 
pared with  even  the  best  of  his  successors,  and  the  otherwise 
inexplicable  transfer  of  that  name  to  the  Messiah  himself.  It  is 
in  this  unique  character  and  office,  as  the  Servant  of  the  Lord, 
that  David  is  here  mentioned,  first  by  his  own  name,  and  then  a;-, 
the  Anointed  King  of  Israel,  whose  face  Jehovah  is  entreated 
not  to  turn  away,  a  figure  for  refusing  him  an  audience,  or  at 
least  denying  his  petition,  which  we  know  to  have  been  used  in 
David's  times.     See  the  Hebrew  of  1  Kings  ii.  16,  17,  20. 


11.  Sioorn  hath  Jehovah  to  David  (^in)  truth,  he  tvill  not  tu.rv 
hack  from  it :  Of  the  fruit  of  thy  body  [  ivill  jilact  on  the  throhr. 
for  thee.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxix.  4,  36  (3,  35),  and  compare 
2  Sam.  vii.  28.      Turn  hack.,  recede  from  his  engagement,  cr  fail 


<^S8  PSALM    CXXXII. 

to  perform  it.  Of  the  fruity  from  among  thy  posterity  or  offspring. 
On  the  throne^  literally  to  or  for  it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  5  (4.) 
F:}r  thecj  in  thy  place,  as  thy  representatives,  or  (lelongiiig)  to 
thee  J  i.  e.  tliy  throne. 

12  If  thy  sons  will  observe  my  covenant  and  my  testimonies 
which  I  teach  them^  (then)  likewise  their  sons  unto  perpetuity  shall 
sit  upon  the  throne  for  thee.  This  is  the  condition  of  the  promise, 
the  breach  of  which  accounts  for  the  apparent  violation  of  the 
promise  itself.  Such  a  suspension  of  the  promise  was  not  only 
just  in  itself,  but  foreseen  and  provided  for  (2  Sam.  vii.  14,  15), 
as  something  perfectly  consistent  with  the  perpetuity  of  the  en- 
gagement. I  teach  yon,  refers  not  only  to  external  legislation,  but 
to  spiritual  guidance  and  illumination. 

13.  Fo7--  Jehovah  has  chosen  Zion^  has  desired  (it)  for  a  dwell- 
ing for  him.  Besides  the  oath  and  promise  made  directly  to 
David,  the  petition  of  the  psalm  is  here  enforced  by  the  divine 
choice  of  Zion,  which  was  inseparably  connected  with  the  exalta- 
tion of  the  family  of  David.  See  the  same  thing  asserted  or  im- 
plied, Ps.  xliii.  2(1.)  Ixv.  2  (\.)  cxxv.  2.  As  in  vs.  11,  12,  the 
last  words  in  Hebrew  (ib)  may  be  also  rendered  to  him^  belong- 
ing to  him,  his  dwelling. 

14.  This  is  my  resting-place  to  perpetuity  ;  here  will  I  divelly 
because  I  have  desired  it.  These  are  the  words  of  God,  though 
not  expressly  so  described.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  4.  Ixxxix. 
4,  5  (3,  4.)  The  word  translated  dwell  means  originally  to  sity 
and  especially  to  sit  enthroned,  so  that  this  idea  would  be  neces- 
sarily suggested  with  the  other  to  a  Hebrew  reader  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxix.  10.  Iv.  20  (19.)  cii  13  (12.)  cxxiii.  1. 

15.  Her  provision  I  will  bless.,  I  will  bless ;  her  poor  I  will 
tatisfy   (with)   bread.     The  repetition  of  the  verb   may  expre,°j? 


PSALM    CXXXII.  239 

either  certainty  or  fulness.  /  will  surely  bless,  or  /  will  blesi 
abundantly.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxvi.  6.  The  word  translated 
provision  is  a  cognate  form  to  that  in  Ps.  Ixxviii.  25.  Satisfy, 
amply  or  a])undantly  supply. 

16.  And  her  priests  I  will  clothe  with  salvation;  and  her  saints 
shall  shout^  shall  shout  (for  joy.)  This  is  the  promise  correspond- 
ing to  the  prayer  in  v.  9.  The  word  salvation,  for  which  right- 
eousness was  substituted  there,  is  here  restored  from  the  original 
passage,  2  Chion.  vi.  41.  The  last  verb  in  Hebrew  means  to 
express  joy  by  shouting  or  singing.  As  to  the  emphatic  repetition, 
8ee  above,  on  v.  15. 

17.  There  tvill  I  make  to  bud  a  horn  for  David  ;  I  have  trimmed 
o.   lamp  for   mine   Anointed.      These    are   common  figures  in  the 
Scripture  for  sti-ongth  and  prosperity.      See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii 
(10), 29  (28.)  Ixxxix.  18  (17.)  xcii.  1 1,  and  compare  1  Sam.  ii.  1 
2  Sam.  xxi.  17.  Ezek.  xxix.  21.      The    last    clause   contains  an 
allusion  to  the   Law,  which   cannot  be  preserved  in  any  version 
The  word  translated  lam/p  is  used  to  designate  the  several  burners 
of    the   golden    candlestick    (Ex.  xxv.  37.  xxxv.  14.  xxxvii.  23 
xxxix.  37),  and  the  verb  here  joined  with  it  is  the  one  applied  to 
the  ordering  or  tending  of  the   sacred  lights  by  the  priests  (Ex 
xxvii.  21.  Lev.  xxiv.  3.)     The   meaning   of  the   whole   verse  is, 
that  the  promises  of  old  made  to  David  and  to  Zion  should  be  yet 
fulfilled,   however    dark    and    inauspicious   present    appearLnces 

18.  His  enemies  I  tvill  clothe  with  shame,  and  on  him  shall  bloom 
his  crown.  The  pronouns  refer  to  David,  as  the  Lord's  Anointed, 
mentioned  in  v.  17.  The  figure  in  the  first  clause  is  the  converse 
or  counterpart  of  that  in  vs.  9,  16,  and  the  same  with  that  in 
Ps.  xxxv.  26.  cix.  29.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  Isxxix 
40  (39.)  The  verb  to  bloom  or  blossom  agrees  well  with  the  idea 
of   a  wreath  or    chaplet    Compare  the  u/tiuouvrivov  UTkcparov  of 


240  PSALM    CXXXIII. 

1  Pet.  V  4.  Some  prefer,  however,  to  retain  what  they  regarl  as 
the  original  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  verb  ;  on  him  shall  his  crown 
thine  (or  glitter  )     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxii.  16. 


PSALM    CXXXIII. 

1.  A  Song  of  Ascents.  By  David.  Behold^  how  good  and 
how  pleasant  (is)  the  dwelling  of  brethren  also  together.  I'hia 
psalm  is  an  eflPusion  of  holy  joy  occasioned  by  the  sight  of  the 
gathering  of  Israel  as  one  great  household  at  the  yearly  feasts.  It 
is  distinguished  from  the  later  compositions  of  this  series  by  the 
absence  of  complaint  or  lamentation,  while  its  freshness  and  viva- 
city and  antique  phraseology  confirm  the  title  which  ascribes  it  to 
David.  The  idiomatic  use  of  (^1)  also  in  the  last  clause  is  not 
easily  transferred  to  any  other  language.  The  meaning  may  be, 
that  although  the  children  of  Israel  were  brethren  even  when 
divided  and  dispersed,  it  was  only  in  these  great  convocations  that 
besides  being  thus  related  to  each  other,  they  also  actually  dwelt 
together.  There  might  likewise  be  allusion,  in  the  first  instance, 
to  the  previous  jealousies  and  alienations  in  the  family  of  Israel, 
which  seemed  to  be  exchanged  for  mutual  concord  and  affection, 
on  David's  accession  to  the  throne  of  the  whole  nation. 

2.  Lil^c  the  oil,  the  good  {oil),  on  the  head,  running  down  iff  on 
the  beard.,  the  beard  of  Aaron^  which  runs  down  to  the  edge  of  his 
robes.  The  joyous  character  of  this  great  family  meeting  sugr/ests 
the  "oil  of  joy"  (Isai.  Ixi.  3),  the  standing  symbol  of  festivity,  to 
which  a  more  specific  and  religious  character  is  then  imparted  by 
a  beautiful  transition  to  the  good  oil  (i.  e.  sweet  and  costly),  with 


PSALM   CXXXIII.  241 

wliich  Aaron  was  anointed  (Ex.  xxix.  7.  xxx.  22.  xl.  13),  as  a 
sign  of  consecration  and  of  spiritual  influences.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  ii.  2.  As  we  read  of  the  anointing  of  no  subsequent  High 
Priest,  except  prospectively  (Lev.  xxi.  10.  Num.  xxxv.  25),  the. 
reference  here  may  be  confined  to  Aaron  himself.  This  is 
alleged  to  have  differed  from  the  unction  of  the  other  priests,  by 
adding  to  the  simple  application  of  the  oil  to  certain  parts  of  the 
body,  a  copious  affusion  on  the  head,  extending  to  the  beard  and 
even  to  the*sacerdotal  vestments.  Some  interpreters  apply  the 
last  clause  to  the  beard  itself  as  reaching  down  to  the  mouth 
("'^)  or  op(3ning  at  the  neck  of  the  official  tunic.  But  the  repeti- 
tion of  the  verb  (li"^),  and  the  strong  improbability  that  so  much- 
stress  would  have  been  laid  upon  the  length  of  the  beard,  to  which 
nothing  is  compared  and  which  illustrates  nothing,  seem  decisive 
in  favour  of  the  other  explanation. 

3.  Like  the  dew  of  Herman^  which  comes  down  upon  the  mountains 
of  Zion  ;  for  there  has  Jehovah  comm.a'iided  the  blessings  even  life 
for  evermore.  The  comparison  witJi  oil  is  now  exchanged  for  one 
with  dew,  suggesting  the  idea  of  a,  refreshing,  fertilizing  influence. 
As  the  general  comparison  with  oil  is  rendered  more  specific  by 
the  mention  of  the  kind  most  highly  valued,  because  made  under 
the  divine  direction  and  applied  to  a  most  sacred  use,  so  the  gene- 
ral term  dew  is  specified  in  like  manner  as  the  dew  of  Hermon,  the 
dew  falling  on  the  lofty  heights  of  Antilibanus.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  13  (12.)  How  this  dew  could  be  said  to  fall  upon 
the  mountains  of  Zion,  is  a  question  which  has  much  divided  and 
perplexed  interpreters.  Some  have  assumed  a  peculiar  theory  or 
system  of  physics  on  the  writer's  part.  Others  suppose  dew  of 
Htrmon  to  be  merely  descriptive  of  the  quality,  irrespective  of 
the  actual  place  of  the  deposit.  Simpler  and  more  natural  than 
either  of  these,  although  not  without  difiiculties  of  its  own,  is  the 
interpretation  which  restricts  the  comparison  itself  to  the  first  few 
words,  and  includes  all  that  follows  in  the  application      Likt  t'u 

VOL.    III.  11 


242  PSALM    CXXXIV. 

dew  of  Hermon  (is  the  influence)  which  descends  upon  the  hills  o 
Zion^fo)-  there^  etc.  the  last  clause  then  explaining  what  this  influ' 
ence  was.  Whether  this  be  the  true  solution  of  the  question  as 
to  form  or  not,  it  is  no  doubt  the  essential  meaning  of  the  passage, 
upon  any  exegetical  hypoth(!sis  whatever.  The  dew  of  Hermon 
was  mere  moisture,  but  the  dew  of  Zion  was  the  promise  of  eter 
na]  life,  there  made  and  verified.  Even  life  for  evermore^  liteiallyj 
life  evea  to  eternity 


PSALM    CXXXIV. 

1.  A  Song  of  Ascents.  Behold!  bless  Jehovah^  all  ye  servants 
of  Jehovah.,  those  standing  in  the  house  of  Jehovah  by  night.  The 
whole  series  of  pilgrimage  songs  closes,  in  the  most  appropriate 
manner,  with  a  summons  to  bless  the  Lord,  addressed  by  the 
people  on  arriving  at  the  sanctuary  to  the  priests  there  in  attend- 
ance, vs.  1,  2,  and  indirectly  answered  by  a  priestly  blessing  on 
the  worshippers  themselves,  v.  3.  The  lo  or  behold  at  the  beginning 
is  equivalent  to  saying,  See.,  ive  are  here.,  or  we  are  come.  To 
bless  God,  as  in  all  other  cases,  is  to  praise  him  in  a  reverential 
and  adoring  manner.  The  servants  of  the  Lord  here  meant 
are  not  his  people  indiscriminately,  but  his  official  servants^  and 
most  probably  the  priests,  as  will  appear  from  v.  3  below.  Th". 
(ones)  standing.^  the  appropriate  posture  of  attendants,,  even  in  the 
courts  of  earthly  monarchs.  J)y  night.,  literally,  iii  the  flights,  which 
does  not  however  necessarily  mean  all  night  (1  Chronjvix.  33), 
as  appears  from  Ps.  xcii.  3,  where  it  stands  opposed  to  in 
tht  morning.,  and  may  therefore  denote  siniflv  in  the  evening^  y  itt 


PSALM    C  XXXIV.  243 

Bpeclfic  reference,  as  some  suppose,  to  the  evening  sacrifice^  with 
which  the  daily  service  of  the  priests  concluded.  We  may  then 
assume,  although  we  cannot  prove,  that  the  pilgrims  were  accus- 
tomed to  reach  the  sanctuary  at  that  hour,  singing  this  last  "  song 
of  ascents." 

2.  Raise  you?-  hands  to  the  holy  place,  and  bless  Jehovah  !  Tho 
gesture  mentioned  in  the  first  clause  symbolized  the  raising  of 
the  heart  to  God.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxviii.  2.  Ixiii.  5  (4.)  The 
word  for  holy  place  or  sanctuary  is  the  same  in  form  with 
that  so  frequently  translated  as  an  abstract,  holiness.  For  its 
local  meaning,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xx.  3  (2.)  It  here  denotes  the 
temple  or  its  site,  as  distinguished  from  the  courts  around  it.  As 
to  the  act  of  praying  to  or  towards  it,  see  above,  on  Ps.  v.  8  (7.) 
xcix.  5. 

3.  Jehovah  bless  thee  out  of  Zion,  Maker  of  heaven  and  earth. 
As  the  priests  were  called  upon  to  bless  God  in  behalf  of  the 
people,  so  here  they  bless  the  people  in  behalf  of  God.  Between 
the  verses  we  may  suppose  the  previous  request  to  be  complied 
with.  The  priests,  having  blessed  God,  turn  and  bless  the  people. 
The  obvious  allusion  to  the  sacerdotal  blessing,  Num.  vi.  23 — 27, 
favours  the  optative  construction  of  this  verse,  which  really  in- 
cludes a  prediction  {the  Lord  will  bless  thee.)  Out  of  Zion^  as 
in  Ps.  cxxviii.  5.  Maker  of  heaven  and  earthy  and  therefore  in- 
finitely able  to  fulfil  this  prayer.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxv.  16 
cxxi.  2.  cxxiv.  8. 


241  PSALM    CXXXV 


PSALM    CXXXV. 

The  people  of  Jehovali  are  exhorted  to  praise  him  as  their 
peculiar  God,  vs.  1 — 4,  as  the  Grod  of  nature,  vs.  5 — 7,  as  the  de- 
liverer of  Israel  from  Egypt  and  in  Canaan,  vs.  8 — 12,  as  their  hope 
also  for  the  future,  vs.  13 — 14,  rendered  more  glorious  hj  contrast 
with  the  impotence  of  idols,  vs.  15 — 18,  after  which  the  psalm 
concludes  as  it  began  with  an  exhortation  to  praise  God,  vs. 
19 — 21.  According  to  Hengstenberg's  arrangement  and  distribu- 
tion, thi;)  is  the  first  of  a  series  of  twelve  psalms  (135 — 146),  sung 
at  the  completion  of  the  second  temple,  and  consisting  of  eight 
Davidic  psalms  (138 — 145),  preceded  by  three  (135 — 137)  and 
followed  by  one  (146)  of  later  date.  In  this  way  he  accounts  for 
the  omission  of  these  ancient  psalms  in  the  former  part  of  the 
collection,  because  they  were  no  longer  looked  upon  as  independ- 
ent com. positions,  but  as  inseparable  parts  of  the  series  or  systemd 
into  which  they  had  been  introduced. 

1.  Hallelujah!  Praise  the  name  of  Jehovah.  Praise  {it),  ye 
servants  of  Jehovah  !  The  close  of  the  Psalm  shows  that  although 
the  priests  are  included  (v.  19)  d^mong  the  servants  of  Jehovah, 
they  are  not  exclusively  intended,  as  in  Ps.  cxxxiv.  1.  Even 
there,  however,  the  priests  are  representatives  of  Israel  at  large. 

2.  Who  {are)  standi7ig  in  the  house  of  Jehovah,  in  the  courts 
of  the  house  of  our  God.  The  participle  indicates  continued 
action.  The  mention  of  the  courts  confirms  what  has  been 
already  said,  as  to  the  objects  of  address  in  v.  1. 


PSALM    CXXXV.  245 

3.  Hallelujah  (praise  ye  Jah  !)  for  good  (is)  Jehovah.  Make 
music  to  his  name ^  for  it  is  lovely.  The  last  words  may  also  be 
translated,  he  is  lovely,  i.  e.  an  object  worthy  of  supreme  attachment. 

4.  For  Jacob  did  Jah  choose  for  himself,  Israel  for  his  own 
possession.  They  are  particularly  bound  to  praise  him,  as  his 
chosen  and  peculiar  people.  The  last  word  in  Hebrew  means  a 
possession  of  peculiar  value,  set  apart  and  distinguished  from  all 
others.     See  Ex.  xix.  5.  Deut.  vii.  6.  xiv.  2.  xxvi.  18. 

5.  For  1  knoiv  that  great  is  Jehovah.,  and  our  Lord  [more)  than 
all  Gods.  However  ignorant  the  world  may  be  of  his  superiority, 
],  the  representative  of  Israel  and  as  such  speaking  in  his  name, 
know  and  am  assured  of  the  truth  from  my  own  observation  and 
experience. 

6.  All  that  Jehovah  will  he  does  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  earth, 
in  the  seas  and  all  depths.  Compare  Ps.  cxv.  3.  Ecc.  viii.  3. 
Jon.  i.  14.  Isa.  xlvi.  10,  11.  It  is  not  merely  as  their  own  peculiai 
God  that  they  are  bound  to  praise  him,  but  as  the  universal 
sovereign.  Heaven,  earth,  and  sea,  are  put  for  the  whole  framQ 
of  nature,  as  in  Ex.  xx.  4. 

7.  Causing  vapours  to  ascend  from  the  end  of  the  earth — light- 
nings for  the  rain  he  makes — bringing  out  the  wind  from  his  trea- 
sures. As  certain  portions  of  the  world  are  specified  in  v.  6  to  define 
the  extent  of  Eis  dominion,  so  here  certain  natural  phenomena  are 
mentioned  as  the  product  of  his  power.  Compare  Jer.  x.  13. 
U.  16.  From  the  end  of  the  earth,  i.  e.  from  all  parts  of  it,  not  ex- 
cepting the  most  remote.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixi.  3  (2).  The 
second  clause  is  by  some  explained  to  mean,  turning  lightningi 
into  ram,  l  e.  causing  the  thunder-cloud  to  dissolve  in  rain. 
But  this  is  not  so  natural  as  the  common  version,  he  maketh  lights 
mngs  for  thz  rain,  i.  e.   to    accompany  it,  or   according  to  the 


246  PSALM    CXXXV. 

paraphrase  in  the  Prayer  Book,  sendeth  forth  lightnings  with  tht 
rain.     AViih  the  last  clause  compare  Job  xxxviii.  22. 

8.  Who  smote  the  first-horn  of  J^gypt.,  from  man  even  io 
least.  From  the  proofs  of  God's  supremacy  in  nature,  he  now 
proceeds  to  those  in  history,  and  especially  the  history  of  his 
dealings  with  his  people  and  their  enemies.  This  is  precisely 
the  relation  between  Ps.  civ  and  cv.  The  first  example  chosen 
here  is  the  last  and  greatest  of  the  plagues  of  Egypt.  From 
man  to  beast^  including  both  ;  in  other  words,  both  man  and  beast. 

9.  Sent  signs  and  nw7iders  into  the  midst  of  thee.,  oh  Egypt .^  upon 
Pharaoh  and  on  all  his  servants.  Signs  ami  wonders,  i.  e.  mira-- 
cles,  to  wit,  those  which  preceded  and  accompanied  the  exodus. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  43.  In  the  midst  of  thee,  oh  Egypt,  an 
expression  similar  to  that  in  Ps.  cxvi.  19,  i^i  the  midst  of  thee,  oh 
Jerusalem  !  Upon  Pharaoh,  literally,  in  Pharaoh  and  in  all  his 
servants. 

10.  Who  smote  many  nations  and  slew  mighty  kings.  To  th(s 
miracles  of  Egypt  and  the  Exode  are  now  added  those  of  Canaan 
and  the  Conquest. 

11.  Sihon  Iiing  of  the  Amorites,  and  Og  king  oj  Bashan,  atid 
all  the  kingdoms  of  Canaan.  Each  of  these  three  particulars  is 
preceded  in  Hebrew  by  the  preposition  (')  to  or  for ;  and  that 
this  is  not  an  inadvertence  or  an  accident,  appearsfrom  its  repeti- 
tion in  the  next  psalm  (cxxxvi.  19,  20.)  Though  not  in  accord- 
ance with  the  usage  of  the  verb  (3;iri)  which  is  construed  else- 
where with  the  verb  directly,  the  particle  must  be  regarded  here 
a.s  an  objective  sign,  as  in  Ps.  cxxix.  3,  unless  we  suppose  the 
pense  to  be,  that  what  had  just  been  said  in  general  is  true  in  par- 
ticular as  to  Sihon,  as  to  Og,  and  as  to  the  kingdoms  (here  put  for 
the  kings)  of  Canaan. 


PSALM    ex  XXV.  247 

12.  And  gave  fJ/eir  land  (as)  a  heritage^  a  kcriiage  to  Israel  his 
people.  The  land  of  Canaan  was  an  inheritance  to  Israel,  not  as 
the  hdrs  of  the  Canaanites,  but  because  it  was  to  be  transmitted 
from  father  to  son,  by  hereditary  right  and  succession.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  cv.  44.  cxi.  6. 

13.  Jehovah^  thy  name  (is)  to  eternity.  Jehovah,  thy  memory  is 
to  generation  and  generation.  Name  and  memory  are  here  equiv- 
alent expressions,  meaning  that  by  which  Grod  is  remembered  or 
commemorated,  namely,  his  perfections  as  exhibited  in  act.  The 
perpetuity  of  this  implies  continued  or  repeated  acts  of  goodness. 

14.  For  Jehovah  will  judge  his  people.,  and  for  the  sake  of  his 
servants  icill  repent.  He  will  fulfil  the  promise  in  Deut.  xxxii.  36. 
He  will  judge  (i.  e.  do  justice  to)  his  people.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
Ixxii.  2.  For  the  sense  in  which  repentance  is  ascribed  to  God, 
see  above,  on  Ps.  xc.  13. 

15.  The  idols  of  the  nations  (are)  silver  a7id  gold,  works  of  the 
hands  of  man.  The  divine  perfection  of  the  Lord  is  now  exhib- 
ited in  contrast  with  the  impotence  and  nulh'ty  of  idols.  The 
terms  of  the  comparison  are  borrowed,  with  «everal  variations, 
from  Ps.  cxv.  4 — 8. 

16.  (There  is)  a  mouth  to  them,  and  (yet)  they  speak  not ;  (there 
are)  eyes  to  them,  and  (yet)  they  see  not.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxv. 
5,  which  agrees  exactly  with  the  verse  before  us. 

J  7.  (There  are)  ears  to  them,  and  (yet)  they  hear  not ;  likewise 
there  is  no  breath  in  their  mouth.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxv.  6.  This 
verse  contains  the  most  considerable  variation  of  the  pas- 
Bages.  The  second  clause  in  both  begins  with  the  same  Hebrew 
word  (r,5%)  ;  but  in  the  one  case  it  is  a  noun,  meaning  the  nose, 
Id  the  other  an  adverb,  meaning  likeicise.     This  kind  of  Variation. 


248  PSALM    CXX  XV. 

in  winch  the  form  is  retained  but  with  a  change  of  moaning,  la 
perfectly  agreeable  to  Hebrew  usage 

18.  Like  them  shall  he,  those  makmg  them,  every  one  who  (is) 
trusting  in  them.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxv.  8,  with  which  this 
verse  agrees  exactly.  If  the  meaning  had  been  simply,  those 
who  make  them  are  like  them,  Hebrew  usage  would  hare  required 
the  verb  to  be  suppressed.  Its  insertion,  therefore,  in  the  future 
form  (I'^n'^.)  requires  it  to  be  rendered  strictly  shall  be,  i.  e.  in 
fate  as  well  as  character.  Idolaters  shall  perish  with  their  per- 
ishable idols.     Compare  Isai.  i.  31. 

19.  Oh  house  of  Israel,  bless  Jehovah  !  Oh  house  of  Aaron,  bless 
Jehovah  !  Having  shown  what  God  is,  in  himself  and  in  com- 
parison with  idols,  he  repeats  the  exhortation  which  this  descrip- 
tion was  intended  to  explain  and  justify.  With  this  and  the  next 
verse  compare  Ps.  cxv.  9 — 11.  cxviii.  2 — 4.  Instead  of  trust 
we  have  here  bless,  as  at  the  beginning  of  the  Psalm.  Compare 
Ps.  cxxxiv.  1. 

20.  Oh  house  of  Levi^  bless  Jehovah  !  Fearers  of  Jehovah,  bless 
Jehovah !  The  Levites  are  not  particularly  mentioned  in  the 
parallel  passages. 

21.  Blessed  (be)  Jehovah  from  Zion — inhabiting  Jerusalem — 
Hallelujah  !  There  is  here  an  allusion  to  Ps.  cxxxiv.  3.  As  Je- 
hovah blesses  out  of  Zion,  so  also  he  is  blessed  out  of  Zion,  by 
the  diffusion  of  his  praise,  as  from  a  radiating  centre.  This  is 
said  to  be  the  only. place  in  which  Jerusalem  is  put  for  Zion,  .as 
the  earthly  residence  of  God.  But  see  above,  on  Ps  Ixxvi.  3  (2  , 
and  compare  Ps.  cxxv.  1,  2. 


PSALM    CXXXVI. 


249 


PSALM    CXXXTI. 

T»  theme  and  structure,  this  psalm  resembles  that  before  it,  a 
resemblance  rendered  still  more  striking  by  particular  coincidences 
of  expression.  In  this  case  also,  the  people  are  invited  to  praise 
Jehovah,  vs.  1 — 3,  as  the  Grod  of  nature,  vs.  4 — 9,  as  the  deliv- 
erer of  Israel  from  Egypt,  vs.  10 — 15,  his  guide  in  the  wilderness, 
V.  16,  the  conqueror  of  his  enemies,  vs.  17 — 24,  the  provider  of 
all  creatures,  v.  25,  and  the  God  of  heaven,  to  whom,  in  conclu- 
sion, praise  is  again  declared  to  be  due,  v.  26.  The  grand  pecu- 
liarity of  form  in  this  psalm,  by  which  it  is  distinguished  from  all 
others,  is  the  regular  recurrence,  at  the  close  of  every  verse,  of  a 
burden  or  refrain^  like  the  responses  in  the  Litany,  but  carried 
through  with  still  more  perfect  uniformity.  The  text  or  theme, 
which  thus  forms  the  second  clause  of  every  verse,  is  one 
which  has  repeatedly  occurred  already,  in  Ps.  cvi.  1.  cvii.  1. 
cxviii.  1 — 4,29.  Compare  1  Chron.  xvii.  34.  It  has  been  a  favour- 
ite idea  with  interpreters  that  such  repetitions  necessarily  imply  al- 
ternate or  responsive  choirs.  But  the  other  indications  of  this 
usao-e  in  the  Psalter  are  extremely  doubtful,  and  every  exegetical 
condition  may  be  satisfied  by  simply  supposing  that  the  singers, 
in  some  cases,  answered  their  own  questions,  and  that  in  others,  as 
in  that  before  us,  the  people  united  in  the  burden  or  chorus,  as 
tliey  were  wont  to  do  in  the  Amen.     See  above,  on  Ps.  cvi.  48. 

1.    Give  thanks  unto  Jehov,ah—for  unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercy 
This   introductory  sentence    is  identical  with  those  already  cited 
Tronj  Ps.  cvi,  cvii,  cxviii. 
U* 


250  PSALM    CXXXVI. 

2.  Give  Ihanls  uiUo  the  God  of  Gods— for  unto  eternity  (is) 
tiis  mercy.  The  divine  title  or  description,  both  in  this  verse  and 
the  next,  is  borrowed  from  Pent.  x.  17.  Gods  does  not  here 
mean  false  gods,  but  is  a  superlative  plural  qualifying  that  before 
it      See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxvii.  14  (13.)  cxxxv.  5. 

3  Give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  of  Lords— for  unto  eternity  (is) 
hs  mercy.  The  Lord  of  Lords,  i.  e.  the  supreme  Lord,  the 
Lord  by  way  of  exoellence,  as  in  the  English  phrase  heart  of 
hearts  for  inmost  heart. 

4.  To  (him)  doing  wonJrous  (things),  great  {things) ,  alone — 
for  unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  Compare  the  expression  doing 
wonders,  Ex.  xv.  11.  Alone,  not  merely  more  than  others,  but 
to  their  exclusion.  The /or,  in  this  and  the  following  verses,  has 
reference,  not  to  what  immediately  precedes,  but  to  the  verb  give 
thanks,  to  be  supplied  at  the  beginning  of  the  sentence. 

5.  To  him  that  made  the  heavens  in  wisdom — for  unto  eternity 
(is)  his  mercy.  That  made,  literally  viaking,  perhaps  in  reference 
to  the  continued  exercise  of  God's  creative  power.  Li  wisdom, 
or  with  understanding.  See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  24,  and  compare 
Prov.  iii.  19. 

6.  To  him  that  spread  the  earth  above  the  waters — for  unto 
eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  That  spread,  literally  spreading,  as  in 
V.  5.  Above  (not  upon,  but  higher  than)  the  waters.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxiv.  2. 

7  To  him  that  mode  great  lights — for  unto  eternity  (is)  his 
mercy.  The  plural  lights  {p'^'TWi)  occurs  only  here,  but  is  cog- 
nate and  synonymous  with  the  one  used  in  Gen.  i.  14,  16 

8.    The  sun  to   rule  by  day — for  unto  eternity   (is)  his  viercv 


PSALM    CXXXVI.  251 

The  musical  design  of  the  composition  is  especially  observable 
where  the  burden  or  chorus  is  interposed  between  inseparable 
parts  of  the  same  sentence,  as  in  this  one,  the  substance  of  which 
is  borrowed  from  Gen.  i.  16,  but  with  some  change  both  in  the 
words  and  the  construction. 

9.  The  moon  and  stars  to  rule  by  nightjar  unto  eternity  (is) 
his  mircy.  To  rule,  literally,  for  rules  or  dominions,  perhaps 
because  the  stars  are  here  made  sharers  with  the  moon  in  the 
dominion  of  the  night. 

10.  To  him  that  smote  Egypt  in  their  first  born— for  unto 
eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  We  have  here  the  transition  from  nature 
to  history,  as  in  Ps.  cxxxv.  8.  Him  that  smote  (or  the  smiter  of) 
Egypt,  i.  e.  the  Egyptians.  Hence  the  plural  pronoun,  their 
first  born. 

IJ.  And  brought  out  Israel  from  the  midst  of  them— for  unto 
eternity  (is)  his  mercy.  Here  for  the  first  time  we  have  a  finite 
tense  (the  future  conversive),  interrupting  the  long  series  of 
participles,  all  agreeing  with  Jehovah  understood. 

12.  With  a  high  hand  and  with  an  arm  outstretched — for  urtto 
eternity  is  his  mercy.     These  are  favourite  Mosaic  figures  for  the 
active  and  energetic  exercise  of  power.     See  Ex.  iii.  19.  vi.  1,  6 
xiii.  9.  XV    12.  Deut.  iv.  34.  v.  15.  vii.  19.  xi.  2.  xxvi.  8. 

13.  To  him  that  parted  the  Red  Sea  into  parts — for  unto  eter- 
nity (is)  his  mercy.  Parted  and  parts  have  the  same  relation  to 
each  other  as  the  Hebrew  verb  and  noun. 

14.  And  made  Israel  to  pass  through  the  midst  of  it — for  unto 
eter%ity  (is)  his  mercy.  Here  again  we  have  a  finite  tense,  not 
the  conversive  future,  as  in  v.  11,  but  the  preterite.      Througn 


252  PSA1.M    CXXXVI. 

the  midst  of  it,  between  the  parts  into  which  it  was  divided.  Sorrif 
suppose  an  allusion  to  the  covenant  transaction  in  Gen.  xv.  17, 
where  the  word  translated  ^a?-^.?  is  the  one  used  in  v.  13  above. 

15.  And  cast  Pharaoh  and  his  host  into  the  Red  Sea — -for  unto 
eternity  (is)  his  mprcy.  The  first  verb  strictlj'  means  knocked  off 
or  shook  off,  and  is  borrowed  from  Ex.  xiv.  27.  A  passive  form 
of  it  occurs  above,  Ps.  cix.  23. 

16.  To  him  that  led  his  people  in  the  u-ildern£ss — fo'.  unto  eter- 
nity {is)  his  mercy.  Led,  literally,  caused  to  go.  ^''ee  above, 
Ps.  cxxv.  5.     The  participial  con.struction  is  again  resumed. 

17.  To  him  tJiot  smote  great  kings — -for  unto  eternity  [is)  his 
mercy.  Corap  '  the  parallel  passage,  Ps.  cxxxv.  10,  which  is 
here  divided  h}  ..m  theme  or  chorus.     See  above,  on  v.  8. 

18.  And  slew  mighty  kings — for  unto  eternity  {is)  his  mercy 
The  first  clause  answers  to  the  latter  half  of  Ps.  cxxxv.  10,  with 
the  .substitution  of  another  Hebrew  word  for  mighty. 

19.  Sihon  king  of  the  Amorite — for  unto  eternity  {is)  his  me/cy. 
Literally,  to,  for,  or  as  to  Sihon,  etc.     See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxxv.  11. 

20.  A7id  Og  king  of  Bashan — for  unto  eternity  {is)  his  mcrey. 
To,  for,  or  as  to,  Og  king  of  Bashan. 

21.  And  gave  their  land  as  a  heritage — for  unto  eternity  {is)  his 
mercy.    Asa  heritage,  literally,  for  it.    See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxxv.  12. 

22.  A  heritage  to  Israel  his  servant — for  unto  eternity  {is)  hii 
mercy.  This  is  the  latter  half  of  Ps.  cxxxv  12,  divided  from  the 
first  half  by  the  theme  or  chorus. 


PSALM    CXXXVII.  253 

23.  IVho  in  on?  loic  estate  rememhered  us — -for  unto  eternity  {is) 
his  mercy.  In  our  low  estate,  in  our  humiliation,  in  our  bein*^* 
humbled  or  reduced.  Kemembered  us,  or  for  us,  for  our  benefit, 
as  in  Ps.  cxxxii.  1.  From  the  analogy  of  Ps.  cvii.  16,  18,  26. 
cxv.  12,  we  learn  that  this  relates  to  the  captivity  in  Babylon, 
which  is  also  the  subject  of  the  next  psalm. 

24.  And  snatched  us  from  our  adversaries — for  unto  eternity  (is) 
his  mercy.  The  first  verb  always  denotes  violent  action.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  vii.  3  (2.)  It  here  means  to  snatch  or  tear  away, 
as  in  Lam.  v.  8,  and  has  reference  to  the  great  catastiophe  by 
which  the  Babj^lonian  power  was  broken  and  the  Jews  set  free. 

25.  Giving  bread  to  all  flesh — for  unto  eternity  (is)  his  mercif. 
Here  the  description  passes  suddenly  from  God's  acts  of  mercy 
towards  his  people  to  his  general  beneficence  towards  all  that 
lives,  perhaps  with  a  design  to  intimate  that  he  who  thus  cares 
for  men  in  general  and  even  for  the  lower  animals,  will  not  and 
cannot  let  his  people  perish.     See  Matth.  vi.  30. 

26.  Give  thanks  unto  the  God  of  heaven.,  for  unto  eternity  (is)  his 
mercy.  The  God  of  heaven  is  a  new  description  as  to  form,  but 
substantially  equivalent  to  that  in  Ps.  vii.  8  (7.)  xi.  4.  xiv.  2. 
xxxiii.  13,  14. 


PSALM    CXXXVII, 

This  is  the  most  direct  and  striking  reminiscence  of  the  Baby- 
lonish Exile  in  the  whole  collection,  and  could  scarcely  have  been 
written    but   by  one    who    had    partaken    of    its    trials       The 


2b4  PSALM    CXXXVII. 

first  part  of  the  psalm  recalls  the  treatment  of  the  Jews  in  Baby- 
lonia, Ys,  1 — 6  ;  the  second  anticipates  the  punishment  of  Edom 
atd  of  Babylon,  as  persecuting  enemies  of  Israel,  vs.  7 — 9. 

1.  By  the  rivers  of  Babylon^  there  we  sat  doivn^  yea  we  wept^ 
when  we  remembered  Zion.  The  first  word  sometimes  means  along^ 
and  especially  along  the  course  of  streams,  as  in  Ps.  xxiii.  2.  Ba- 
hel  or  Babylon  is  here  put  for  the  whole  country  which  we  call 
Babylonia.  Its  rivers  are  the  Tigris,  the  Euphrates,  the  Chabo- 
ras,  and  the  Ulai,  with  their  tributary  branches.  Various  expla- 
nations have  been  given  of  the  exiles  being  represented  as  sitting  by 
the  rivers  ;  but  none  of  them  are  so  satisfactory  as  the  obvious  and 
simple  supposition,  that  the  rivers  are  mentioned  as  a  characteris- 
tic feature  of  the  country,  just  as  we  might  speak  of  the  mountains 
of  Switzerland  or  the  plains  of  Tartary,  meaning  Switzerland  or 
Tartary  itsjlf  There  is  emphatic  ;  there,  even  in  that  dis- 
tant heathen  country.  Sat  or  sat  down^  if  significant  at  all, 
may  mean  that  they  sat  upon  the  ground  as  mourners.  Ym,  lite- 
rally alw  ;  we  not  only  sat  but  also  wept.  When  we  remem- 
bercdj  literally,  in  our  remembering,  i.  e.  at  the  time,  and  as  the 
effect,  of  our  so  doing.  Zion^  not  merely  as  the  mother-country 
or  its  capital,  but  as  the  seat  of  the  theocracy  and  earthly  centre 
of  the  true  religion. 

2.  On  willows  in  the  midst  of  it  we  hung  our  harps.  It  has  been 
objected  that  the  willow*  is  unknown  in  the  region  once  called 
Babylonia,  which  is  said  to  produce  nothing  but  the  palm-tree. 
Some  avoid  this  difficulty  by  explaining  the  whole  verse  as  meta- 
phorical, hanging  up  the  harps  being  a  figure  for  renouncing  mu- 
sic, .ind  willows  being  suggested  by  the  mention  of  streams,  perhaps 
with  some  allusion  to  associations  connected  with  this  particular 
tree.  It  mav  also  be  observed  that  extraordinary  changes  have 
taken  place  in  the  vegetable  products,  and  especially  the  trees,  oi 
certain  countries.     Thus  tlie  palm-tree,  so  frequently  referred  to 


PSALM    CXXXVII.  255 

in  the  scriptures,  and  so  common  once  that  cities  were  called  after 
it,  is  now  almost  unknown  in  Palestine. 

3.  For  there  our  captors  asked  of  us  the  words  of  a  song^  and 
our  spoilers  mirth,  (saying)  Sing  to  us  from  a  song  of  Zion. 
W^ords  of  a  song  may  either  be  an  idiomatic  pleonasm  meaning 
simply  song  itself,  or  denote,  as  in  English,  the  words  sung  as 
distinguished  from  the  music.  Ovyr  spoilers  is  by  some  taken  in  a 
passive  sense,  our  spoiled  or  plundered  ones  ;  but  the  usual  explana- 
tion is  favoured  by  tradition  and  analogy.  07ie  of  the  songs  can 
hardly  be  the  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  phrase,  in  which  the  noun 
is  singular.  The  literal  translation  above  given  yields  a  perfectly 
good  sense,  A  song  of  Zion  is  a  psalm,  a  religious  lyric,  such  as 
many  of  the  heathen  knew  to  be  employed  in  the  temple  worship 
at  Jerusalem.  Many  interpreters  suppose  the  object  of  this  re- 
quest to  be  contempt  or  ridicule  ;  but  the  words  themselves 
necessarily  suggest  nothing  more  than  curiosity. 

4.  How  shall  we  sing  the  song  of  Jehovah  on  a  foreign  soil  ? 
These  are  the  words  with  which  the  invitation  was  or  might  have 
been  rejected  at  the  time.  The  question  implies  a  moral  im- 
possibility. The  idea  is  not,  that  the  psalms  themselves  would 
be  profaned  by  being  sung  there,  but  that  the  expression  of  reli- 
gious joy  would  be  misplaced  and  incongruous,  implying  an 
oblivion  of  the  sanctuary  and  its  forfeited  advantages.  A  foreign 
soil,  a  ground  or  land  of  strangeness.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  45, 
46  (44,  45.) 

b.  If  I  forget  thee,  oh  Jerusalem,  let  my  right  hand  forget  (its 
sUlL)  This  is  a  disavowal  of  the  forgetfulness  which  would  have 
been  implied  in  yielding  to  the  wishes  of  their  captors.  Jerusalem 
\s  here  used  precisely  as  Zion  is  in  vs.  1,  3.  The  object  of  the 
verb  in  the  last  clause  is  supposed  by  some  to  be  me  ;  let  my  right 
hand  forget  me,  i.  e.  let  me  be  forgotten  by  myself      But  moat 


256  PSALM    CXXXVII. 

interpreters  concur  in  the  correctness  of  the  coamon  version,  m 
which  cunning  has  its  old  English  sense  of  skill.  The  orily  ques- 
tion then  is,  whether  this  is  to  be  understood  indefinitely  of  all 
that  the  right  hand  can  do,  and  is  wont  to  do,  for  the  convenience 
of  the  person,  or  whether  it  is  to  be  understood  specifically  of  its 
use  in  playing  on  an  instrument.  The  former  is  the  more  com- 
prehensive meaning,  but  the  latter  is  more  pointed  and  better  suited 
to  this  context.  The  sense  will  then  be  :  if  I  so  far  forget  thee  as 
to  strike  the  harp  while  in  this  condition,  let  my  right  hand  lose 
the  power  so  to  do. 

6.  Let  my  tongue  cleave  to  my  palate  if  I  do  not  remevihcr  tnee, 
if  I  do  not  raise  Jerusalem  above  the  head  of  my  rejoicing.  What 
he  had  first  wished  as  to  his  power  of  instrumental  performance, 
he  now  wishes  with  respect  to  his  vocal  organs.  If  I  forget  thee, 
let  my  hand  forever  cease  to  strike  the  harp,  and  my  tongue  to 
utter  sound  !  The  most  natural  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is  the 
one  paraphrastically  given  in  the  English  version,  if  I  prefer  not 
Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy. 

7.  Reme??iber^  oh  Jehovah^  against  the  sons  of  Edom^  the  day  oj 
Jerusalem.,  (againstj  those  saying.,  Make  bare,  make  bare,  to  the  very 
foundation  in  it.  Most  interpreters  regard  this  as  a  kind  of  com- 
ment by  the  Psalmist  on  the  preceding  recollection  of  the  Cap- 
tivity. But  the  transition  then  seems  loo  abrupt  and  unaccoun- 
table. The  best  explanation  is,  that  these  are  still  the  real  or 
supposed  words  of  the  captives,  in  reply  to  the  request  of  their 
oppressors,  far  from  granting  which  they  break  forth  in  a  prayer 
for  the  destruction  of  those  who  had  destroyed  Jerusalem.  As 
if  they  had  said  :  No,  instead  of  singing  psalms  to  gratify  your 
idle  or  malignant  curiosity,  we  will  rather  pray  Grod  to  avenge 
the  insults  offered  to  his  holy  city.  This  interpretation  is  mcHe- 
over  recommended  by  its  rendering  the  strong  terms  that  fol- 
low   more  natural   than    if    uttered  in   cold   blood   and  in  calm 


iSALM    CXXXVH. 


257 


deliberation  at  a  later  period.  Remember  against^  literally /or  or 
with  reaped  to.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxxii.  1.  exxxvi.  23,  where 
the  same  idiomatic  phrase  is  used  in  a  favourable  sense.  The  da^ 
of  Jerusalem  is  the  day  of  its  calamity  or  great  catastrophe. 
Compare  Obad.  11 — 13,  where  the  same  crime  is  charged  upon 
Edom,  namely  that  of  concurring  and  rejoicing  in  the  downfal  of 
his  kinsman  Israel.  See  also  Jer.  xlix.  7 — 22.  Lam.  iv.  21,  22. 
Ezek.  XXV.  12 — 14. 

8.  Daughter  of  B^lylon^  the  desolated  I  Hap fy  (he)  icho  shaL 
repay  to  thee  thy  treatment  wherewith  thou  hast  treated  us.  The 
daughter  of  Babylon  (or  virgin  Babylon)  is  the  people  or  king- 
dom of  Babylonia,  personified  as  a  woman.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  ix.  14  f  13.J  The  wasted  or  desolated  is  the  epithet  belong- 
ing to  her  by  way  of  eminence  in  prophecy  and  history.  There 
is  no  need  therefore  of  distinguishing  between  a  partial  and  total 
desolation,  or  between  that  of  the  city  and  the  kingdom  at  large. 
The  last  clause  may  mean  nothing  more  than  that  such  a  revolu- 
tion is  at  hand  that  he  will  be  esteem.ed  a  fortunate  man  who 
treats  thee  as  thou  hast  treated  us.  For  the  true  sense  of  the 
last  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  6  (5,  6.) 

9.  Happy  he  (ivho)  shall  seize  and  dash  thy  little  ones  against 
the  stones.  This  revolting  act  was  not  uncommon  in  ancient 
warfare.  See  2  Kings  viii.  12.  Hos.  xiv.  1.  Nah.  iii.  10.  Isai. 
xiii.  16,  18.  The  more  revolting,  the  stronger  the  descrip- 
tion of  the  change  awaiting  Babylon.  The  day  is  coming  when 
he  shall  be  deemed  fortunate  who,  according  to  the  usages  of  war, 
requites  thy  own  sanguinary  cruelties.  The  word  translated  dash 
means  really  to  dash  in  pieces,  as  in  Ps.  ii.  9.  The  act  here 
meant  is  commonly  expressed  by  fdrolj  a  different  Hebrew  verb. 
Taktth  and  dasheth  is  equivocal,  the  first  of  these  verbs  being 
used  in  familiar  English  as  a  kind  of  auxiliary,  whereas  the  cor- 
responding verb  in  Hebrew  denotes  a  distinct  and  independeni 
act. 


258  PSALM    CXXXVjU 


PSALM    CXXXVIII. 

This  is  the  first  of  a  series  of  eight  psalms  (cxxxviii — cxlv), 
probably  the  last  composed  by  David,  a  kind  of  commentary  on 
the  great  Messianic  promise  in  2  Sam.  vii.  They  are  found  in 
this  part  of  the  Psalter,  in  consequence  of  having  been  made  the 
basis,  or  rather  the  body,  of  a  system  or  series  (cxxxv — cxlvi) 
by  a  later  writer.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxxxv.  1.  The  psalm  be- 
fore us  contains  an  acknowledgment  of  God's  goodness  as  expe- 
rienced already,  vs.  1 — 3,  an  anticipation  of  his  universal  recog- 
nition by  the  nations,  vs.  4,  5,  and  in. the  mean  time  of  additional 
favours  to  the  Psalmist,  or  to  the  church  of  which  he  was  the 
temporary  head,  vs.  6 — S.  Such  a  psalm  was  of  course  well 
suited  to  sustain  the  faith  and  revive  the  hopes  of  a  later  generation. 

1.  By  David.  I  unll  Ihank  thee  with  all  my  heart ;  before, 
gods  I  will  praise  thee.  The  Davidic  style  and  tone  of  composi- 
tion are  acknowledged  even  by  the  skeptical  interpreters.  With 
all  my  heart  implies  the  greatness  of  the  gift  to  be  acknowledged, 
which  was  no  doubt  the  promise  of  Messiah  contained  in  2  Sam. 
vii.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ix.  2  (1.)  Before  gods ^  i.  e.  in  the  pre- 
sence, to  the  face,  and  in  contempt  of  all  imaginary  rival  deities. 
The  translation  before  God  is  grammatical,  but  confounds  the 
necond  and  third  person  in  a  single  clause.  The  Septuagint  and 
Vulgate  have  before  angels.,  which  is  inconsistent  with  the  usage 
of  the  Hebrew  word.      Tlvank  thee.,  in  the  strict  sense  of  praising 


PSALM    CXXXVIII.  259 

for  benefits  received ;  or  in  a  wider  sense,  acknowledge  thee  as  God 
Praise,  thee^  make  music,  sing  and  play  to  thee.  With  this  verse 
compare  Ps.  vii.  18  (17.)  xviii.  50  (49  )  liv.  8  (7.)  Ivii.  10  (9.) 
ci.  1. 

2.  I  will  how  down  to  thy  holy  temple^  and  will  thank  thy  name^ 
for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth  ;  for  thou  hast  made  grtat^  above 
all  thy  name,  thy  promise.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  v. 
8  {7.)  Bow  down.,  or  prostrate  myself,  as  an  act  of  worship. 
Mercy  in  promising,  truth  in  performing.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxv. 
10.  Above  all  thy  name,  i.  e.  all  the  previous  manifestations  of 
thy  nature.  Thy  word,  literally,  thy  saying,  that  which  thou 
hast  said,  but  applied  specifically  to  the  divine  promise.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  31  (30.)  cxix.  38,  50,  103,  140.  The  trans- 
cendant  promise  here  referred  to  is  that  of  the  Messiah  in  2  Sam. 
vii.  which  is  there  described  as  unique  by  David  himself,  and 
which  forms  the  basis  of  many  psalms,  but  especially  of 
Ps.  xviii,  xxi,  Ixi,  ci,  cii,  ciii,  and  the  one  before  us 

3.  In  the  day  I  called  and  thou  didst  answer  me,  thou,  makest  vie 
brave  in  my  soul  (ivith)  strength.  This  may  be  connected  with 
what  goes  before,  thou  didst  magnify  thy  word  in  the  day  when  I 
called  etc.  The  promise  in  2  Sam.  vii  was  an  answer  to  his 
prayer  for  a  perpetual  succession.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi. 
3,  5  (2,  4.)  Ixi.  6  (5.)  The  common  version  of  the  last  clause 
(strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in  my  soul)  contains  a  parono- 
masia not  in  the  original,  where  the  verb  and  noun  have  not  even 
a  letter  in  common.  The  verb  is  by  some  translated  viade  mt 
proud,  i.  e.  elated  me,  not  with  a  vain  or  selfish  pride,  but  with 
a  lofty  and  exhilarating  hope.  In  my  soul,  as  opposed  to  a  mere 
outward  influence.  Strength,  i.  e.  strength  of  faith  and  confidence 
iij  God. 

4.  Jeh.ovah,  all  kings  of  the  earth  shall  acknowUdgi  thee,  when 


26C  PSALM    CXXXVIII 

they  have  heard  ihe  sayings  of  thy  mouth.  Not  merely  one  kiEg^ 
though  that  king  be  David,  shall  acknowledge,  thank,  and  praise 
thee,  but  all  others  who  receive  the  true  religion,  when  they  know 
what  thou  hast  promised,  and  especially  when  they  compare  the 
promise  and  fulfilment,  with  particular  reference  to  the  promise 
of  Messiah,  which  is  described  in  Scripture  as  a  grand  means  for 
the  conversion  of  the  nations  and  the  chiefs  which  represent  thorn. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  30,  32  (29,  31.)  cii.  16  (15.) 

5.  And  ihey  shall  sing  in  the  ways  of  Jehovah^  for  great  (shall 
be)  the  glory  of  Jehovah.  The  kings  of  the  earth,  representing 
its  nations,  shall  join  in  the  praise  of  the  true  God,  walking  in 
his  ways,  i.  e.  as  converts  to  the  true  religion.  Compare 
Mic.  iv.  2.  Tsai.  iv.  3.  Instead  of  for  we  may  read  when.,  as  in 
V.  4  ;  when  the  glory  of  Jehovah  has  been  duly  exalted  and  dif- 
fused by  the  extension  of  the  true  religion.  Some  make  this 
clause  the  theme  or  subject  of  the  praise — they  shall  sing  that  the 
glory  of  Jehovah  is  great — a  less  natural  construction,  but  one 
which  yields  an  equally  good  sense. 

6.  For  lofty  is  Jehovah — and  the  low  he  seep — and  the  haughty 
from  afar  he  knows.  The  first  two  clauses  may  be  in  antithesis, 
and  yet  he  looks  upon  the  low.,  or  simply  co-ordinate,  and  there- 
fore he  looks  upon  the  low.,  i.  e.  the  lowly,  who  shall  be  exalted, 
while  the  opposite  end  of  the  proud  is  implied  in  the  concluding 
declaration.  Even  from  afar,  from  the  distant  heaven  where  he 
seems  to  behold  nothing,  he  knows  precisely  what  the  proud  man 
is,  what  he  deserves,  and  what  is  actually  to  befall  him.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  i   1 . 

7.  If  I  go  through  the  midst  of  distress.,  thou  wilt  save  (or  make) 
me  alive  ;  upon  the  wrath  of  my  enemies  thou  wilt  itretch  foi-th  thy 
hand.,  and  save  me  (with)  thy  right  hand.  The  first  clause  re- 
sembles that  of  Ps.  xxiii.  4.      Go  through  or  walk  in  the  midst  of 


PSALM    CXXXIX.  261 

trouble.  To  quicken  or  revive^  as  in  Ps.  xxx.  4  (3.)  Ixxi.  20, 
Upon  the  lorath^  implying  motion  from  above,  wbich  is  more  sig- 
nificant and  graphic  than  against.  The  common  version  of  the 
last  words  (and  thy  right  hand  shall  save  me)  is  equally  gram- 
matical and  found  in  all  the  ancient  versions  ;  but  the  other  is  re 
commended  by  its  ascribing  the  deliverance  directly  to  God,  and 
by  the  analogy  of  Ps.  Ix.  7  (5),  where  hand  is  adverbially  con- 
Btrued  with  the  same  verb.     See  also  Ps.  xvii.  14. 

S.  Jehovah  will  complete  for  me  (what  he  has  begun)  Jehovah, 
thy  mercy  (is)  forever  ;  the  works  of  thy  hands  do  not  forsake. 
The  work  begun  and  yet  to  be  completed  was  the  whole  series  of 
God's  gracious  dispensations  towards  David  and  his  seed,  begin- 
ning with  the  first  choice  of  the  former  and  ending  in  the  Messiah. 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  Ivii.  3  (2.)  Phil.  i.  6.  The 
Becond  member  of  the  sentence  might  be  read,  let  thy  mercy  be 
forever  or  unto  eternity.  But  it  is  more  probably  an  affirmation, 
similar  to  that  in  Ps.  ciii.  17,  and  the  clause  contains  an  appeal 
to  the  promise  of  eternal  favour,  2  Sam.  vii.  13,  26,  or  perhaps 
to  the  eternity  of  God's  compassions,  as  a  reason  why  he  should 
not  and  could  not  abandon  what  had  been  so  giaciouj^ly  begun. 


PSALM     CXXXIX. 

The  Psalmist  describes  God's  omnipresence  and  omniscience, 
Vs  I — 12,  as  attributes  necessarily  belonging  to  him  as  the  Crea- 
tor, vs.  13 — 18,  and  appeals  to  them  in  attestation  of  his  own 
aversion  to  the  v/icked,  vs.  19 — 24.  From  its  collocation  it  is 
probable   that   this   psalm   records  David's  exercises  under  the 


262  PSALM    CXXXIX. 

powerful  impressions  of  the  great  Messianic  promises  in  2  Sam.  vii, 
and  is  therefore  to  be  regarded  as  a  confession  and  profession 
made  not  merely  for  himself  but  for  his  successors  on  the  throne  of 
Israel,  and  intended  both  to  warn  them  and  console  them  by  this 
grand  view  of  Jehovah's  constant  and  infallible  inspection. 

1.  To  the  Chief  Musician.  By  David.  A  Psalm.  Jehovah., 
thou  hast  searched  me  and  knoiuest.  As  a  later  writer  could  have 
no  motive  for  prefixing  the  title  to  the  Chief  Musician,  it  afibrd? 
an  incidental  proof  of  antiquity  and  genuineness.  Thoti  hast 
searched  me  or  continually  scar  chest  me.  The  Hebrew  verb  origin- 
ally means  to  dig  and  is  applied  to  the  search  for  precious  metals 
(Job  xxviii.  3),  but  metaphorically  to  a  moral  inquisition  into 
guilt.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xliv.  22  (21),  and  compare  Job  xiii.  9. 
It  is  here  used  in  the  intermediate  sense  of  full  investio-ation. 

o 

Thou  hast  known  or  hiowest  all  that  can  result  from  such  a  scru- 
tiny, not  only  my  corruptions  and  infirmities  but  my  cares  and 
sorrows.  The  object  is  not  expressed  in  this  verse,  which  is  a 
summary  of  the  whole  psalm,  because  the  very  object  of  what 
follows  is  to  state  it  in  detail. 

2.  Thou  know  est  my  silting  and  my  rising  •  thou  understandest 
as  to  my  thought  from  afar.  Sitting  and  rising  or  standing  re- 
present rest  and  motion,  or  all  the  vaiious  conditions  of  the  living, 
waking  man.  See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  1.  xxvii.  2.  In  every  posture, 
state,  and  occupation,  thou  knowest  me.  The  next  phrase  does 
not  merely  signify,  thou  perceivest  the  meaning  of  my  thought, 
but  thou  knowest  all  about  it,  its  origin,  its  tendency,  its  moral 
quality  ;  thou  understandest  (every  thing)  respecting  it.  From 
afar,  unimpeded  by  local  distance,  by  which  men  are  prone  to 
imagine  the  divine  omniscience  to  be  circumscribed.  See  Job 
xxii.  12 — 14,  and  compare  with  this  verse  Ps.  cxxxviii.  6 
^er.  xxiii.  23. 


PSALM    CXXXIX.  263 

3.  My  path  and  my  lair  thou  siftest^  and  with  all  my  ways  art 
acquainted.  Path  is  here  put  for  going,  lair  for  lying,  and  these, 
like  the  terms  of  the  preceding  verse,  for  motion  and  rest,  or  the 
active  and  passive  parts  of  human  life.  The  poetical  word  lair 
is  used  to  represent  a  Hebrew  one,  occurring  only  here,  but  the 
verbal  root  of  which  is  used  by  Moses,  Lev.  xviii.  23.  xx.  16. 
The  last  verb  mea^s  to  be  accustomed  (Num.  xxii.  30),  and  then 
by  a  natural  association,  acquainted  or  familiar  (Job  xxii,  21.) 
3fy  loaySj  my  condition  and  my  conduct,  what  I  do  and  what 
I  suffer. 

4.  For  there  is  not  a  loord  in  my  tongue.,  (but)  /o,  Jehovah^ 
thon  knowest  all  of  it.  The  relation  of  the  clauses  may  be  also 
expressed  thus  in  English,  which.,  oh  Lord.,  thou  knowest  not^  all 
of  it  (or  altogether.)  In  my  tongue.,  in  its  power,  or,  as  it  were, 
in  its  possession.  This  verse  merely  applies  to  his  words  speci- 
fically what  was  said  before  of  all  his  actions.  The  lo  or  behold 
is  equivalent  to  see  there,  or  to  the  act  of  pointing  at  the  words  ag 
objects  of  sight  and  as  actually  present. 

5.  Behind  and  before  thou  dost  beset  me,  and  layest  wpon  vie  thy 
hand.  There  is  here  an  insensible  transition  fiom  God's  omnis- 
cience to  his  omnipresence,  out  of  which  the  Scriptures  represent 
it  as  arising.  Behind  and  before,  i.  e.  on  all  sides.  The  idea  of 
above  and  below  is  suggested  by  the  last  clause.  Beset,  besiege, 
hem  in,  or  closely  surround.  Thy  hand, or  the  palm  of  thy  hand, 
as  the  Hebrew  word  strictly  denotes. 

6.  Such  knowledge  is  too  ivomlerfulfor  me  ;  it  is  e.ralted,  I  cannot 
(attain)  to  it.  The  liteial  meaning  of  the  Hebrew  wo;d  is,  wonderful 
knoioledge  away  from  me,  or  more  than  1  (can  comprehend)  ;  it  i$ 
exalted,  I  cannot  (do  any  thing)  as  to  it.  With  the  word  wonderful 
compare  the  use  of  the  cognate  verb,  Deut.  xxx.  11.  Prov.  xxx.  IS 
The  knowledf^e  meant  is  man's  finite  knowledge  of  the  infinite. 


264  PSALM    CXXXIX. 

7.  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,  and  whither  from  thy 
face  shall  I  fee?  The  interrogation  involves  a  denial  of  all  pos- 
sible escape  from  God's  inspection,  when  a  guilty  conscience 
prompts  to  seek  one.     Compare  Am.  ix.  2. 

8.  If  I  scale  the  heavens,  there  (art)  thou;  and  if  I  spread  the 
grave,  lo  thou  (art  there.)  The  word  scale  is  used  to  represent  a 
Hebrew  verb  occurring  only  here,  and  no  doubt  belonging  to  the 
dialect  of  poetry.  The  verb  translated  spread  means  specifically 
to  spread  a  couch  or  make  a  bed.  If  I  make  sheol  my  bed,  i.  e. 
lie  down  in  the  grave  or  hell,  in  the  wide  old  English  sense.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.) 

9.  I  will  raise  the  wings  of  day-break.  I  will  dwell  in  the  end 
of  the  sea.  By  supplying  if,  although  the  sense  is  not  materially 
changed,  the  form  of  expression  becomes  much  less  striking.  The 
conditional  construction  is  forbidden  also,  or  at  least  rendered 
highly  improbable,  by  the  form  of  the  second  verb,  expressing 
strong  desire  and  resolution.  The  truth  is  that  we  have  here  a 
bold  transition.  After  speaking  of  guilty  flight  from  Grod  himself, 
the  Psalmist  now  speaks  of  anxious  flight  from  other  enemies,  and 
as  if  visibly  surrounded  by  them,  here  resolves  to  escape  from 
them.  This,  which  is  Hengstenberg's  interpretation,  is  strongly 
favoured  by  the  unconditional  construction,  although  he  himself 
letains  the  other.  The  same  writer  objects  to  the  translation 
raise  t/ie  wings,  that  befoi-e  one  can  raise  wings  he  must  have  them. 
But  for  that  very  reason  the  possession  of  them  may  be  presup- 
posed, or  considered  as  implied  in  the  act  expressed.  The  same 
combination  is  employed  by  Ezekicl  (x.  16,  19),  in  a  way  that  ad- 
mits of  only  one  translation.  The  Hebrew  word  ("^D'-eV  is  not  the 
common  one  for  morning,  but  one  denoting  day-break  or  the  dawn 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  9  (8.)  The  point  of  comparison  appears 
to  be  the  incalculable  velocity  of  light.     The  extremity  (or  end  )  oj 


PSALM    CXXXIX.  265 

the.  sea  is  added  to  heaven  and  hell,  in  order  to  convey  the  idea  of 
ihe  most  remote  points. 

10.  Even  there  thy  hand  guides  me,  and  thy  right  hand  holds  me. 
From  the  use  of  similar  expressions  to  denote  a  friendly  guidance 
and  support,  in  Ps.  xviii.  17  (16.)  Iv.  7 — 9  (6—8.)  v.  9  (8.)  xxiii.  3. 
xxvii,  11.  Ixxiii.  24,  and  other  places,  Hengstenberg  infers  that 
this  must  mean,  when  I  fly  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  before  my 
enemies,  thou  art  still  there  to  protect  me,  and  that  the  psalm  was 
therefore  meant  not  merely  to  alarm  but  to  console. 

11.  And  I  say^  only  darkness  overivhelms  wzg,  night  is  the  light 
become  around  me.  The  ideal  situation  is  the  same  as  in  v.  9, 
one  of  danger  and  terror,  in  which  he  is  constrained  to  say,  no- 
'hing  but  darkness  comes  upon  me,  smites  me,  and  the  very  light 
's  turned  to  darkness  round  about  me.  According  to  this  view 
:)f  the  passage,  darkness,  as  in  many  other  places,  is  a  figure  for 
calamity  and  danger.  See  Isai.  1.  10.  Ps.  cxxxviii.  7.  Ac- 
cording to  the  usual  interpretation  it  denotes  concealment  from 
the  eye  of  God. 

12.  Eve7i  darkness  docs  not  make  {it)  dark  to  him.,  and  night  like 
day  shines  ;  as  the  darkness.,  so  the  light.  The  interpretation  given 
of  the  foregoing  verse  does  not  necessarily  afl"ect  the  sense  of  this, 
which  still  means  that  nothing  can  prevent  God's  seeing  either 
sin  or  suffering,  either  the  danger  of  his  people  or  the  malice  of 
their  enemies.  Make  dark.,  as  in  Ps.  cv.  28.  To  thee.,  literally, 
from  thee.,  i.  e.  so  as  to  conceal  from  thee. 

13.  For    thou   possesscst   my   reins;    thou   coverest   me    in   my 
mother'' s  uwmh.      The   meaning  of  the  first   clause   seems   to  be  : 
thou  hast  in   thy  power  and  at  thy  control  the  very  scat  of  my 
strongest  sensibilities,  my  pains  and  pleasures  ;  and  this  subjeo 
tioa  is  coeval  with  my  being,  for  even  before  birth  I  was  und<M 

VOL.    III.  12 


266  PSALM    CXXXIX. 

thy  piotection  and  commancf,  as  I  am  now.  The  sense  of  wtat 
ing^  wliieh  is  given  to  the  last  verb  by  some  modern  writers  reste 
on  a  mere  etymological  deduction  and  has  no  foundation  either  in 
tradition  or  in  usage.  The  for  at  the  beginning  of  this  verse 
marks  the  transition  from  the  fact  of  God's  omniscience  to  its 
oiigin  or  reason  in  his  creative  character  and  rights.  As  a  logi- 
cal particle,  the  for  relates,  not  to  the  immediately  preceding 
verse,  but  to  the  whole  preceding  context.  God  is  omnipresent 
and  omniscient, /o?  he  is  the  maker  of  the  universe. 

14.  I  thank  thee  because  fearfully  T  am  distinguihhed  ;  wonder- 
ful (are)  thy  works,  and  {that)  my  soul  knoweth  right  (well.) 
He  makes  it  a  subject  of  grateful  acknowledgment,  that  God  has 
distinguished  him  or  made  him  to  differ  from  inferior  creatures, 
both  in  constitution  and  in  destiny.  Because  is  in  Hebrew  a  com- 
pound particle  ('^S  b^)  like /or  that,  forasmuch  as.  Fearfully , 
literally  fearful  {things),  but  used  adverbially,  as  in  Ps. 
Ixv.  6  (o.)  It  might  here  be  rendered  (by)  fearful  (things.) 
The  words  corresponding  to  distinguished  and  wonderful  are  in 
Hebrew  passive  forms  from  cognate  roots  fn^D  and  ^b^J-  The 
particular  statement  of  the  first  clause  is  resolved  by  the  last  into 
the  general  one,  of  which  it  is  a  mere  specification.  The  con- 
cluding words  express  a  strong  and,  as  it  were,  experimental  con- 
viction of  the  truth 

15.  JVot  hid  was  my  frame  from  thee,  when  I  was  made  in  se- 
cret, embroidered  in  depths  of  the  earth.  The  7iot  hid  is  a  meiosis, 
implying  that  God  saw  it  clearly  and  fully  understood  it,  inas- 
much as  he  himself  created  it.  Frame,  literally  strength,  as  in 
Deut.  viii.  17,  but  applied  to  the  bones  and  sinews  as  the  strength 
or  frame-work  of  the  body.  See  above,  on  Ps.  vi.  3  (2),  and 
compare  Job  x.  11.  The  common  Hebrew  word  for  bonf, 
differs  only  in  the  pointing.  The  word  translated  whe7i  is  ("ir't^) 
the   relative   pronoun,  and  may  here  retain  its  proper  meaning 


PSALM    CXXXIX.  267 

although  then  not  easily  translated,  as  its  antecedent  is  latent  in 
the  phrase  ray  frame^  which  may  be  thus  resolved,  the  frame  oj 
me  who  was  made,  etc.  In  %tc7zt,  i.  e.  in  the  womb.  EmhroU 
dered,  which  is  the  invariable  njeaniug  of  the  Hebrew  verb,  is  a 
bold  but  beautiful  expression  for  the  complicated  tissue  of  the 
human  frame,  in  which  so  many  and  such  various  threads  are  cu- 
riously interwoven.  Depths  of  the  earth  can  only  be  explained  as 
a  comparative  expression,  corresponding  to  m  secret  and  denoting 
the  same  thing,  which  it  describes  as  no  less  dark  and  hidden 
from  the  view  of  men  than  subterraneous  caverns,  or  as  some  sup- 
pose sheol,  the  invisible  world.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  10  ^9^, 
and  compare  Job  i.  21,  where  the  figure  is  inverted,  and  the  grave 
is  confounded  with  the  womb. 

16.  My  unformed  substance  did  thine  eyes  sec,  and  in  thy  hook 
all  of  them  are  written,  days  are  formed,  and  there  is  not  one, 
among  them.  This  is  one  of  the  most  obscure  and  doubtful  verses 
in  the  book  of  Psalms.  Its  difficulty  to  our  own  translators  may 
be  gathered  from  the  fact,  that  substance  yet  being  unjperfect  an- 
swers to  a  single  Hebrew  word,  and  that  my  members  is  a 
gratuitous  addition  to  the  text.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew 
occurs  only  here,  but  is  clearly  derived  from  a  verb  which  means 
to  roll  or  roll  up  (2  Kings  ii.  8),  and  may  therefore  be  supposed 
itself  to  signify  something  rolled  up  or  rolled  together,  and  from 
this  may  be  deduced  the  sense  of  something  shapeless  or  un- 
formed, or  more  specifically  that  of  an  embryo  or  foetus.  The 
next  difficulty  lies  in  the  expression  all  of  them,  evaded  in  the 
English  Bible  by  changing  it  to  all  my  members  and  then  making 
this  the  subject  of  the  plurals  following.  The  best  interpreters 
are  now  disposed  to  construe  all  of  thevi  with  days  by  a  gram- 
matical prolepsis.  In  thy  book  all  of  them  are  written,  namely, 
all  my  days,  as  they  were  planned,  projected,  or  decreed,  before 
as  yet  one  of  them  had  really  existed.  Written  and  formed  are 
theo  parallel  expressions.     All  of  them  are  written,  days  are  de 


2m  PSALM    CXXXIX. 

Hneated  or  depicted.  Bj  days  (translated  iu  our  Bible  in  continue 
ance)  wo  a*re  then  to  understand  not  merely  the  length  but  tho 
events  and  vicissitudes  of  life.  See  Job  xiv.  5.  Ps.  Ivi.  9  (8.) 
This  is  one  of  those  cases  in  which  the  difl&culty  lies  in  the  par- 
ticular expressions,  while  the  general  import  of  the  passage  is 
clearly  determined  bv  ^he  context.  Instead  of  (iJJb)  not,  the  keri 
or  marginal  reading  m  the  Hebrew  Bible  has  (ib)  to  hin^  a  varia- 
tion to  which  no  one  has  succeeded  in  attaching  a  coherent  sense. 
Precisely  the  same  difference  of  text  exists  in  Ps.  c.  3. 

17.  And  to  me  how  precious  are  thy  thoughts^  oh  God  !  How 
great  is  the  sum  of  them  I  Having  presented  this  impressive 
view  of  God's  omniscience,  he  now  tells  how  he  is  himself  affected 
by  it.  So  far  from  thinking  it  a  hardship  to  be  subject  to  this 
scrutiny,  he  counts  it  a  most  valuable  privilege.  However 
others  may  regard  this  truth,  to  me,  my  judgment  and  my  feel- 
ings, how  costly^  valuable,  are  thy  thoughts.,  i.  e.  thy  perpetual 
attention  to  me.  For  the  true  sense  of  precious.,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  xxxvi.  8  (7.)  xlv.  10  (9.)  Great  is  the  sum.,\\iQ\'2i\\y.,strong 
(ov  many)  are  their  sums.,  an  expression  which  can  hardly  be  re- 
tained in  our  idiom. 

IS.  /  loill  count  them — (but  no) — more  than  sand  they  an 
many — /  awake  and  still  I  (am)  with  thee.  The  first  clause  is 
equivalent  to  a  conditional  proposition,  if  1  would  count  them  etc. 
but  far  more  striking  and  poetical  in  form.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xl.  6  (5.)  I  am  still  icith  thee  has  the  same  essential  meaning 
with  the  similar  expression  in  Ps.  Ixxiii.  23,  namely,  I  am  still  in 
■  thy  society  or  company.  But  there  the  reference  is  chiefly  to 
divine  protection,  here  to  meditation  on  the  divine  attributes. 
Tliou  art  still  before  me  as  an  object  of  adoring  wonder,  not  by 
day  only,  but  by  night  ;  not  merely  in  the  watches  of  the  night, 
tut  even  in  my  sleep.     See  above,  on  Ps.  i.  2.  xvi.  7.  Ixiii.  7  (cj.) 


PSALM    CXXXIX. 


269 


19.  If  *hou  wilt  slay.,  oh  God.,  the  wicked  (man)  !  And  ye  men 
of  blood,  depart  from  me  !  The  first  clause  is  in  fact,  though  not 
in  form,  the  expression  of  a  wish.  If  thou  wouldst  but  sky  ! 
In  form,  there  is  an  aposiopesis,  wJiich  may  be  variously  suppli^id 
oy  adding,  I  will  praise  thee,  I  will  rejoice,  it  will  be  just,  or  the 
like.  Men  of  Z>Zoofi?5,  murderers  or  murderous  men.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  V.  7  (6.)  xxvi.  9.  Iv.  24  (23. j  Dejpart  from  me  is  the 
same  expression  as  in  Ps.  vi.  9  (8.)  cxix.  15,  but  the  main  idea 
here  is  that  of  disavowal  or  repudiation.  Oh  that  God  would 
slay  them,  and  until  he  does,  I  desire  to  have  no  communion 
with  them.     Compare  Job  xxi.  14,  Matth.  vii.  23 

20.  Who  speak  of  thee  for  wickedness  and  take  in  vain — thy  foes  ! 
Speak  of  thee,  or  name  thee,  use  thy  name,  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  wicked  ends.  The  other  clause  will  then  be  strictly 
parallel,  and  take  (thy  name)  in  vain.,  as  in  Ex.  xx.  7.  For  the 
meaning  of  this  difiicult  expression,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  4. 
The  subject  of  the  proposition  is  placed  emphatically  at  the  end. 

21.  Thy  haters,  oh  Jehovah,  shall  not  I  hate,  and  with  thine 
assailants  be  disgusted  ?  The  simple  future  in  the  first  clause 
comprehends  several  distinct  shades  of  meaning.  Do  I  not,  may 
1  not,  must  I  not,  hate  those  hating  thee  .''  Hate  them,  not 
as  man  hates,  but  as  God  hates.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  6  (5.) 
The  construction  of  the  verb  and  preposition  in  the  last  clause  is 
the  same  in  Hebrew  and  in  English.  Be  disgusted,  literally, 
sicken  or  disgust  myself,  abhor,  or  loathe.  Thine  assailams^ 
those  rising  up  against  thee,  as  rebellious  enemies.  The  Hebrew 
word  is  a  noun  formed  from  the  participle  used  above,  Ps.  xvii.  7. 
lix.  2  (1.) 

22.  (With)  perfedicn  of  hatred  do  I  hate  them ^  as  enemies 
they  are  to  me.  Literally,  they  are  for  enemies,  i.  e.  I  so  esteem 
them.     Ab  enemies  of  God,  they  must  be  mine. 


270  PSALM    CXL. 

23.  Search  me,  God,  and  know  my  heart ;  try  me,  and  know 
my  tJwugiits.  The  last  expression  is  emphatic,  meaning  even  my 
most  anxious  and  disturbed  thoughts,  into  which  corruption  might 
most  easily  find  entrance.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xciv.  19,  the  only 
other  place  where  the  Hebrew  word  occurs.  In  this  verse,  he 
again  appeals  to  the  divine  omniscience  for  the  purity  of  his  in- 
tentions, and  thus  comes  back  to  the  point  from  which  he  started. 

24.  And  see  if  a  way  of  'pain  le  in  me,  and  guide  me  in  a  way 
of  eternity.  In  the  first  clause  some  translate,  the  way  of  an  idol, 
an  idolatrous  way.  But  the  meaning  idol  is  not  justified  by  usage. 
A  way  of  pain  is  one  that  leads  to  suifering  and  misery  hereafter. 
The  opposite  of  this  is  a  icay  of  eternity,  by  which  some  under- 
stand an  everlasting  way,  as  distinguished  from  the  perishable 
way  of  sinners,  Ps.  i.  6.  Others,  more  probably,  the  way  that 
leads  to  everlasting  life.  Usage,  however,  is  in  favour  of  a  third 
and  very  diiferent  interpretation,  which  gives  the  Hebrew  phrase 
(t]bi:>  ":\yi)  the  same  sense  with  a  kindred  one  (t)bi5  nin-^n:) 
used  by  Jeremiah  (vi.  16),  to  wit,  that  of  old  or  ancient  tvay,  the 
one  pursued  by  prophets,  patriarchs,  and  saints  of  old.  Similar 
expressions  are  found  in  Jer.  xviii.  15,  Job  xxii.  15,  applied,  in  a 
bad  sense,  to  the  course  pursued  by  ancient  sinners.  The  prayer, 
however,  still  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  to  wit,  that  Grod  would 
lead  him  in  the  good  old  way,  which  is  itself  the  way  to  everlasting 
life. 


PSALM    CXL. 

1 .    To  the  Chief  Musician.     A  Psalm.     By  David.     TVe  find 
ourselves,  in  this  psalm,  carried  back  not  only  to  the  times  of 


PSALM    CXL.  271 

David,  but  to  those  of  the  Sauline  persecution,  from  which  the 
images  are  evidently  borrowed.  Besides  the  warlike  tone,  the 
rigorous  conciseness,  the  verbal  agreements  with  Davidic  psalms 
combined  with  eminent  originaliuj,  the  very  structure  is  Davidic, 
and  exhibits  the  familiar  sequence  of  complaint,  vs.  2 — 6  (1 — 5) 
prayer,  vs.  7 — 9  (6 — 8),  and  confident  anticipation,  vs.  10 — 14 
(9 — 13.)  So  clearly  do  these  features  of  the  composition  mark 
its  origin,  even  independently  of  the  inscription,  that  nothing  can 
account  for  its  position  here  but  the  hypothesis  already  stated, 
that  these  ancient  psalms  were  incorporated  into  a  series  of  later 
date,  and  placed  in  the  collection,  not  according  to  their  individual 
antiquity,  but  according  to  the  date  of  the  whole  set  or  system, 
into  which  they  had  been  made  to  enter.  Like  the  psalms  im- 
mediately preceding,  this  was  probably  composed  by  David  after 
the  reception  of  the  great  Messianic  promise,  and  with  immediate 
reference  to  it. 

2(1.)  Deliver  me^  Jehovah,  from  the  bad  man;  from  the  man 
of  violences  thou  wilt  'preserve  me.  This  is  one  of  those  pictures  so 
abundant  in  the  genuine  Davidic  Psalms,  of  which  Saul  seems  to 
have  furnished  the  original.  Compare  Ps.  Hi.  The  first  man 
is  the  generic  term  (^1?),  the  other  the  individual  designation 
(■^'~*/),  which  seem,  however,  to  be  used  here  as  equivalents.  The 
insensible  transition  from  direct  prayer  to  confident  anticipation  is 
characteristic  of  the  psalms  of  David.  Man  of  violence  is  another 
favourite  expression.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  49  (48),  and  com- 
pare the  parallel  passage,  2  Sam.  xxii.  49,  where  the  plural  form 
[violences)  is  used,  as  in  the  verse  before  us. 

3  (2.)  Who  imagine  evils  in  (their)  heart ;  all  the  day  they  gather 
(for)  battles.  That  the  preceding  verse,  notwithstanding  the  refer- 
ence to  Saul,  is  the  description  of  a  whole  class,  is  clear  from  the 
plural  forms  in  this  verse.  Think.,  meditate,  devise,  imagine. 
^vils,  particularly  such  as  are  inflicted  on  others,  well  expressed 


on  PSALM      CXL. 

in  the  common  version,  mischiefs.  Another  construction  of  tlif 
last  clause,  preferred  by  some  interpreters,  is,  all  the  day  thty 
dwell  icithumrs  (or  in  wars).,  i.  n.  are  constantly  involved  in  them 
and  busied  with  them.  This  use  of  the  verb  (-1^3)  is  justified  by 
Ps.  V.  5  (4.)  cv.  23.  cxxv.  5.  But  the  analogy  of  Ps.  Ivi.  7  (6.) 
11)1.  4  (3)  is  decisive  in  favour  of  the  other  explanation.  Compare 
Ps.  xxxi.  14  (13.)  XXXV.  15.  Isai.  liv.  15. 

4  (3.)  They  sharpen  their  tongue  as  a  serpent  ;  the  poison  of  an 
adder  (is)  under  their  lips,  Selah.  Not  as  a  serpent  (does),  but 
(spiteful  or  venomous)  as  a  serpent.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiv.  4  (3.) 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  x.  7.  Iviii.  5  (4.)  The  word  for 
asp  or  adder  occurs  only  here.  The  only  point  of  exegetical 
importance  is,  that  it  means  a  poisonous  serpent,  and  is  thus  a 
specification  of  the  general  expression  in  the  other  clause. 

5  (4.)  Keep  me.,  Jehovah^  from  the  hands  of  the  wicked  (man)  ; 
from  t/ie  man  of  violences  thou  wilt  preserve  me,  who  have  thought 
to  subvert  my  steps.  A  varied  repetition  of  the  prayer  in  v.  1. 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  xxxv.  5.  xxxvi.  13  (12.)  Ivi.  14(13.) 
oxviii.  13. 

6  (5.)  High  (ones)  have  hid  a  snare  for  me,  and  cords — they 
have  spread  out  a  net  by  the  side  of  the  road — traps  have  they  laid 
for  me,  Selah.  This  is  little  more  than  an  accumulation  of  the 
various  terms  in  which  David  elsewhere  clothes  one  of  his  favo  ir- 
ite  figures,  as. if  he  saw  his  own  perils  reappearing  in  the  future. 
High  ones,  i.  e.  proud  or  haughty  men.  By  the  side,  literally, 
the  hand,  as  we  say  on  either  hand.  The  word  translated  road, 
according  to  its  etymology,  denotes  a  wagon-road,  a  track  worn 
by  wheels. 

7  (6.)  I  have  said  to  Jehovah,  My  God  (art)  thou;  give  ear^ 
^ehavah,  (to)  the  voice  of  my  supplications.     All  the  component 


PSALM     CXL.  273 

parts  of  this  verse  are  of  constant  occurrence  in  the  psalms  ol 
David.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xvi.  2.  xxxi.  15  (14.) 
With  the  second,  Ps.  v.  2,  3  (1,  2.)  xvii.  1.  xxviii.  2,  3  (1,  5.) 
xxxi.  23  (22.)  xxxlx.  13  (12.)  liii.  4  (3.) 

8  (7.)  Jehovah^  Lord^  the  strength  of  my  salvation;  thou  kast 
covered  my  head  in  the  day  of  battle.  My  covenant  God  and  sove- 
reign, whose  power  saves  me.  Head  is  preceded  by  a  preposition 
(r),  thou  hast  been  a  coverhig  (or  afforded  shelter)  to  (or  for)  my 
head.  The  day  of  battle,  literally,  of  armour  or  of  weapons,  i.  e. 
the  day  when  they  are  used.  With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  v.  12  (11.) 
Ix.  9  (7.)  Ixii.  2,  12  (1,  11.)  cxxxix.  13.  1  Sam.  xxviii.  2. 

9  (S.)  Grant  not^  Jehovah^  the  desires  of  the  wicked  man — his 
device  succeed  not'- — they  will  be  exalted.  Succeed  not,  suffer  not  to 
prosper;  literally,  draw  not  out,  i.  e.  to  a  successful  issue.  The 
last  clause  states  what  would  be  the  effect  of  their  success  ;  they 
would  be  elated,  or  exalt  themselves.  With  this  verse  compare 
Ps.  xxvii.  12.  xxxi.  14  (13.)  xxxvii.  12.  Ixvi.  7  (6.)  Deut.  xxxii.  27. 

10  (9.)  The  head  of  those  surrounding  m.e — the  mischief  of  their 
lips  shall  cover  them.  The  nominative  absolute  refers  back  to  the 
covering  of  the  Psalmist's  head  in  v.  8  (7.)  While  my  head  is 
covered  by  the  divine  protection,  the  head  of  those  by  whom  I 
am  beset  shall  be  covered  with  the  consequences  or  the  punishment 
of  the  mischief  occasioned  by  their  calumnies  and  insults.  Or  the 
trouble,  which  their  lips  have  caused  to  others,  shall  .return  upon 
themselves.  Compare  Ps.  vii.  17  (16.)  Those  surroicnding  me, 
or,  as  a  noun,  my  surroundings,  as  in  2  Kings  xxiii.  5.  The 
participle  would,  according  to  analogy  and  usage,  mean  causing 
me  to  turn  back  or  retreat  (Jer.  xxi.  4),  which  yields  a  good  sense 
here.  The  head  of  those  who  once  drove  me  back  shall  b^  cov- 
ered, etc. 


274  PSALM     CXL. 

1 1  (10.)  Coah  shall  he  cast  upon  them  ;  into  the  fire  he  shall  maki 
them  fall,  and  into  deep  waters,  (whence)  they  shall  not  rise.  The 
first  noun  in  Hebrew  always  means  burning  or  live  coals.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  13,  14  (12,  13.)  Shall  be  cast  is  the  keri  or 
marginal  reading,  no  doubt  intended  to  relieve  the  harshness  and 
obscurity  of  the  reading  in  the  text,  they  shall  cast  or  shake,  an 
indefinite  or  impersonal  construction,  really  equivalent  in  meaning 
to  the  passive.  In  the  second  member  of  the  sentence  the  action 
is  ascribed  to  God  himself.  Deep  waters  answers  to  a  single  He- 
brew word  occurring  only  here,  and  by  some  supposed  to  mean 
deep  pits  or  excavations.  The  first  sense  above  given  is  founded 
on  an  Arabic  analogy. 

12  (11).  A  man  of  tongue  shall  not  he  estahlished  in  the  land^ 
(nor)  a  man  of  violence,  a  had  (man) — he  shall  hunt  him  to  destruc- 
tion. A  man  of  a  calumnious  unbridled  tongue  (James  i.  2G) 
shall  not  be  permanently  seated  in  a  prosperous  condition.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  ci.  7.  cii.  29  (28.)  The  next  words  may  be  variously 
construed  j  a  man  of  wicked  violence,  or,  disregarding  the  accents, 
a  man  of  violence,  evil  shall  hunt  him,  etc.  According  to  the 
other  constructions,  God  is  the  subject  of  the  verb,  as  of  the 
second  in  v.  11  (10.)  To  destructions,  the  plural  form  denoting 
fulness  and  completeness.  Others  render  it  hy  strokes,  i.  e.  suc- 
cessive strokes  ;  others  again,  in  haste,  which  agrees  well  with  the 
usage  of  the  verbal  root.  See  2  Chr.  xxvi.  20.  Esth.  iii,  15. 
vi.  12.  viii.  14. 

13  (12.)  T know  that  Jehovah  will  do  justice  to  the  sufferer,  and 
jndgment  for  the  poor.  Compare  Ps.  ix.  5,  17  (4,  16.)  Liter- 
ally, the  right  of  the  sufferer,  the  judgment  of  the  poor. 

14  (13.)  Only  the  righteous  shall  give  thanks  unto  thy  name,  tm 
^tpnght  shall  sit  in  thy  presence.  Only  the  righteous  shall  have 
occasion  for  thanksgiving.     There  is  no  need  therefore  of  depart- 


PSALM    CXLI.  275 

ing  from  the  proper  sense  of  (Tj^)  the  Hebrew  particle.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii.  1.  Sit  in  thy  presence^  as  •  thj  friends  or 
guests  or  favoured  servants.  Perhaps  it  may  mean  sit  (en- 
tkroiied)  before  thee.  Compare  Matth.  xix.  28.  Some  under- 
stand the  sense  to  be,  shall  dwell  (in  the  land)  he/ore  thee.,  i.  e. 
under  thy  protection  and  inspection.  Compare  Ps.  xxi.  7  (6  ) 
xli.  13  (12.)  Ivi.  14  (13.) 


PSALM     Gil.  I. 

After  an  introductory  petition  for  a  favourable  hearing,  vs.  1,2, 
the  Psalmist  prays  to  be  delivered  from  the  power  of  tempta- 
tion, vs.  3,  4,  comforts  himself  under  his  afflictions  as  paternal 
chastisements,  vs.  5,  6,  anticipates  the  ruin  of  his  enemies,  v.  7, 
and  prays  for  deliverance  from  them  in  the  mean  time,  vs.  8 — 10. 
This  psalm,  like  the  one  before  it,  is  distinguished  by  a  pregnant 
brevity  and  the  use  of  rare  expressions,  while  at  the  same  time  it 
is  full  of  verbal  and  real  coincidences  with  the  psalms  of  David. 
These  indications  are  so  clear  and  undeniable,  that  a  skeptical 
critic  of  great  eminence  (De  Wette)  pronounces  it  one  of  the 
oldest  psalms  in  the  collection.  With  respect  to  its  position  in 
the  Psalter,  see  the  prefatory  notes  to  Ps.  cxxxv,  cxl. 

1.  A  Psalm.  By  David.  Jehovah^  I  invoke  thee;  hasten  to 
me  ;  give  tar  to  my  voice  in  my  calling  to  thee.  This  verse  is  en- 
tirely made  up  of  phrases  frequently  occurring  in  the  psalms  of 
David.  I  invoke  thee,  Ps.  xvii.  6.  Hasten  to  me,  Ps.  xxii.  20  (19.) 
Ixx.  2(1.)  Ixxi.  12.  Hear  my  voice,  Ps.  cxl.  7  (6.)  In  mn 
calling,  Ps.  iv.  2  (1.) 


876  PSALM    CXLI. 

2.  Let  my  prayer  continue  (as)  incense  before  thee^  the  offeiing 
of  ray  hands  (as)  the  evening  oblation.  Continue^  literally,  be 
eatnblished.  as  in  Ps.  cxl.  12(11.)  He  piays  not  only  for  acceptance, 
but  for  constant  or  perpetual  acceptance,  as  the  offerings  referred 
to  were  the  stated  daily  services  of  the  Mosaic  ritual.  License  is 
in  scripture  the  symbol  of  prayer.  In  the  books  posterior  to  the 
Pentateuch  it  is  commonly  mentioned  as  an  evening  oblatiou 
(1  Kings  xviii.  29,  36.  2  Kings  xvi.  15.  Dan.  ix.  21.  Ezra  ix.  4,  5), 
perhaps  because  in  the  evening  it  was  reckoned  the  main 
offering,  whereas  in  the  morning  it  was  merely  an  appendage 
to  the  animal  sacrifice.  Lifting  up  is  not  the  meariing  of  the 
Hebrew  word  (rii^r^n)  in  any  other  place,  whereas  it  c  ften  means 
a  gift,  and  especially  a  portion  of  food  (Gen.  xliii.  34.  2  Sam. 
xi.  8),  in  which  sense  it  might  naturally  be  applied  to  the  vegeta- 
ble offerings  of  the  Law. 

3.  Set,  oh  Jehovah,  a  guard  at  my  mouth  ;  watch  over  the  door 
of  my  lips.  The  prayer,  for  which  he  had  bespoken  audience 
and  acceptance,  was  a  prayer  against  the  power  of  temptation, 
and  first  with  reference  to  sins  of  speech.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
xxxix.  2  (1.)  The  words  translated  watch  and  door  are  forms 
occurring  only  here,  but  etymologically  near  akin  to  others  which 
are  in  common  use. 

4.  Incline  not  my  heart  to  an  evil  word,  to  practise  practices  m 
wickedness  with  men  (who  are)  workers  of  iniquity,  and  let  me 
not  eat  of  thdr  dainties.  An  evil  word  may  be  strictly  understood, 
as  referring  still  to  sins  of  the  tongue,  or  be  taken  in  the  idiom- 
atic sense  of  an  evil  matter,  which  last  is  preferred  by  most  inter, 
preters.  The  assonance  in  practise  practices  is  copied  from  the 
Hebrew,  where  the  cognate  verb  and  noun  are  combined  in  the 
Bame  manner.  Practices  in  wickedness  or  wicked  practices 
The  last  words  seem  to  be  a  prayer,  that  he  may  not  be  tempted 


PSALM    CXLI  277 

by  the  luxurious  prosperity  of  wicked  men,  to  follow  their  exam- 
ple.    See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxiii.  3 — 7,  12. 

6.  Let  the  righteous  smite  me  (in)  mercy  and  chasten  me — oil 
for  the  head  let  not  my  head  refuse — for  (it  is)  still  (to  come) — 
and  my  prayer  (must  still  ascend)  in  their  iiijuries.  This  verse 
is  so  obscure  as  to  be  almost  unintelligible.  According  to  the 
English  versions,  it  expresses  his  willingness  to  be  rebuked  by 
good  men  for  his  benefit.  But  this  sense  is  not  only  hard  to  be 
extracted  from  the  words,  but  foreign  from  the  context.  Of  the 
many  contradictory  interpretations  which  have  been  proposed  the 
most  probable  is  that  which  makes  the  sentence  mean,  that  the 
sufferings  endured  by  the  good  man,  even  at  the  hand  of  the 
wicked,  are  chastisements  inflicted  by  a  righteous  God  in  justice 
and  in  mercy,  and  as  such  may  be  likened  to  a  festive  ointment, 
which  the  head  of  the  sufferer  should  not  refuse,  as  he  will  still 
have  need  of  consolation  and  occasion  to  invoke  God,  in  the  midst 
of  trials  and  of  mischiefs  yet  to  be  experienced. 

6.  Thrown  down  among  the  rocks  are  their  judges  ;  and  (then) 
they  hear  my  words,  for  they  are  sweet.  When  the  judgments  in 
reserve  for  the  leaders  of  my  enemies  shall  come  upon  them, 
they  will  perceive  too  late  how  reasonable  are  my  words,  and  wish 
that  they  had  hearkened  to  them  sooner.  Thrown  doivn,  origi- 
nally let  go^  here  used  as  in  2  Kings  ix.  33.  Among  the  rocks^ 
literally  in  (or  into)  the  hands  of  the  rock.  Some  understand  this 
to  mean  into  its  power  (see  v.  9  below) ;  others,  against  its  sides 
(see  Ps.  cxl.  6) ;  but  the  simplest  explanation  is  that  which  supposes 
the  rock  to  be  personified  and  represented  as  standing  below  and 
holding  out  its  hands  to  catch  the  person  or  thing  falling.  Some 
in  the  last  clause  read,  that  they  are  sweet.  Then,  when  it  is  too 
late,  they  shall  perceive  how  sweet  my  words  are. 

7    Like  (one)  ploughing  a,nd  cleaving  the.  earth — scattey tn  or 


278  PSALM    CXLl. 

our  bones  at  the  grave'^s  mouth  (or  the  mouth  of  hell.)  There  are  only 
two  plausible  interpretations  of  this  obscure  comparison.  As  the 
first  Hebrew  verb  (;t':d),  in  its  derivative  forms,  has  the  general  sense 
of  cleaving^  and  the  second  (^'pn)  is  expressly  used  (Ecc.  x.  9)  in 
thaji  of  splitting  wood^  some  interpreters  give  both  verbs  that  spe- 
cific meaning  here,  and  suppose  the  verse  to  be  simply  a  description 
of  mortality  or  carnage,  the  efi"ect  of  which  is,  that  human  bones 
lie  about  the  opening  of  the  grave,  or  the  devouring  jaws  of  hell 
(Isai.  v.  14),  as  numerous  and  as  little  heeded  as  so  many  logs  or 
sticks  of  wood.  To  this  it  is  objected,  that  the  phrase  in  (or  on) 
the  earth  Ls  then  unmeaning,  or  at  least  superfluous,  and  that  the 
verse,  if  thus  explained,  does  not  cohere  with  the  ensuing  con- 
text, which  supposes  the  contents  of  this  verse  to  be  cheering  and 
consolatory.  The  other  interpretation  avoids  these  objections, 
by  explaining  the  first  clause  not  of  cleaving  wood  but  ploughing, 
to  which  the  first  verb  is  applied  in  Arabic.  Like  (one)  plough- 
ing and  cleavirig  (making  furrows)  i?i  the  earth,  not  for  the  sake 
of  mangling  its  surface,  but  to  make  it  fruitful  and  productive, 
(so)  our  bones  are  scattered  at  the  mouth  of  hell,  as  the  necessary 
means  of  a  glorious  resurrection. 

8.  For  unto  thee,  Jehovah,  Lord,  (are)  my  eyes — in  thee  have  1 
confided — pour  not  out  my  soul.  The  for  refers  to  the  consola- 
tory import  of  the  verse  preceding.  The  one  before  us  contains 
several  favourite  Davidic  phrases.  My  eyes  are  unto  thee,  Ps. 
XXV.  15.  In  thee  have  I  confided  (or  sought  refuge),  Ps.  ii.  12. 
jtxxi.  2  (1.)  In  the  last  clause  the  soul  or  life  is  confounded 
with  its  vehicle.  See  Gen.  ix.  4.  Lev.  xvii.  11,  14.  The  same 
remarkable  expression  is  applied  by  Isaiah  (liii.  12)  to  the  volun- 
t«ry  death  of  the  Messiah.  That  the  verb  literally  means 
to  pour  out,  is  clear  from  Gen.  xxiv.  20.  Isai.  xxxii.  15.  This 
verse  resembles  Ps.  cxl.  8  (7),  in  two  points,  the  combination  Je- 
hovah Adhonaij  and  the  supernumerary  n  in  nniiD  and  nsa. 


PSALM    CXLII.  275 

9.  Keej)  me  from  the  hands  of  the  snarz  lohich  they  hart  netted 
for  me,  and  the  nets  of  the  doers  of  iniquity.  The  word  hands  ia 
entirely  omitted  both  in  the  English  Bible  and  the  Prayer  Book 
Yersion.  It  is  put,  by  a  favourite  personification,  for  power  or 
possession.  The  use  of  the  expression  here  was  probably  occa- 
sioned by  its  previous  use  in  Ps.  cxl.  4.  The  verb  netted  is  hero 
employed  to  represent  the  cognate  verb  and  noun  in  Hebrew. 

10.  Let  the  wicked  fall  into  their  own  traps,  while  I  at  the 
same  time  escape.  Compare  Ps.  vii.  16  (15.)  The  combination 
of  the  singular  and  plural  in  the  first  clause — wicked  (men)  and 
his  snares — shows  that  the  singular  denotes  not  a  real  but  ideal 
person,  representing  a  whole  class.  The  best  construction  of  the 
last  clause  is  that  given  in  the  English  Bible  and  retained  above, 
with  the  single  change  of  withal  to  the  synonymous  but  less  am- 
biguous expression,  at  the  same  time.  The  transpositions  of  this 
clause  are  unusual,  even  in  Hebrew — at  the  same  time  I  until  (ox 
while)  I  pass,  i.  e.  pass  by  uninjured  or  escape. 


PSALM      CXLII. 


1.  Maschil  By  David,  when  he  was  in  tht  cave.  A  Prcyer 
It  is  called  a  maschil  or  didactic  psalm  because  it  might  other 
wise  have  seomed  to  contain  matter  wholly  personal  to  David 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxii.  1.  When  he  ivas,  literally,  in  hii  being, 
which  does  not  refer  exclusively  to  time,  but  suggests  the  occasion 
or  exciting  cause.  The  reference  may  be  either  to  the  cave  of 
Adullam  (1  Sam.  xxii.  J),  or  to  that  of  Engedi  (1  Sam.  xxiv.  3), 
or  to  that  period  and  mode  of  life  in  general,  when  David  was 


280  PSALM    CXLIl. 

obliged  to  seek  refuge  in  caves,  and  wbicli  he  might  expect  to  sec 
reproduced,  under  other  forms,  in  the  experience  of  his  succes- 
sors, for  whose  guidance  and  encouragement  this  psahn  was 
written.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ivii.  1,  It  is  called  a  ;prayer^  be- 
cause the  complaint  or  description  of  the  danger,  vs.  2 — 5  (1 — 4), 
is  merely  introductory  to  the  petition  for  deliverance,  vs.  6— -S 
(5 — 7.)     See  above,  on  Ps.  xvii.  1.  Ixxxvi.  1.  xc.  1.  cii.  1. 

2(1.)  (  With)  my  voice  to  Jehovah  I  cry  ;  (with)  my  voice  to 
Jehovah  I  make  supplication.  With  the  first  clause  compare 
Ps.  iii.  5  (4)  ;  with  the  second,  Ps.  xxx.  9  (8.)  There  are  also 
coincidences  of  expression  with  Ps.  xxii.  6  (5.)  Ixxvii.  2  (1.) 
cxl.  7  (6.)  cxli.  1.  With  my  voice,  i.  e.  audibly,  aloud,  as  op- 
posed to  a  mere  mental  prayer.  The  word  translated  supplication 
means,  according  to  its  etymology,  a  prayer  for  grace  or  mercy. 

3(2.)  I  pour  out  before  him  my  care  ;  my  troulle  before  him  1 
tell.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xlii.  5  (4.)  Ixii.  9  (8.) 
1  Sam.  i.  15.  Lam.  ii.  19.  The  word  translated  care  means  pro- 
perly reflection,  meditation,  musing,  especially  such  as  is  anxious 
and  sad.     See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiv.  2  Cl.) 

4  (3.)  Because  my  spirit  is  overwhelmed  within  me — and  that 
krujwest  my  path — in  the  way  that  I  go,  they  have  hid  a  snare  fo) 
me.  The  literal  translation  of  the  first  words  is,  in  my  spirit'' s  being 
overwhelmed,  which  may  indicate  either  the  time  or  the  cause  of  his 
distress.  See  above,  on  v.  1.  Some  adopt  this  construction  :  when 
my  spirit  is  overwhelmed  (then)  thou  knowest  my  path.  Others  sup- 
pose two  reasons  to  be  given  for  his  calling  upon  God,  his  distress 
and  his  trust  in  the  divine  omniscience.  Because  my  spirit  is 
overwhelmed,  and  (because)  thou  knowest  my  path.  But  as  the 
form  of  the  two  phrases  is  entirely  different  in  Hebrew,  the 
fiimplest  and  safest  construction  is  to  treat  tjbe  second  clause  as 
parenth«^tical.      Within  me,  literally  upon  m&  ;  see  above,  on  Ps. 


PSALM    CXL II.  28 

slii.  5- -7  (4 — 6.)  In  the  way  that  I  go,  i  e.  along  my  path.  Sea 
above,  ou  Ps.  cx-1.  5  (4. J  The  words  may  meau,  however,  as  in 
Ps.  cxliii.  8,  in  the.  way  that  I  should  go,  i.  e.  in  the  path  of  duty. 
Without  my  fault  they  hid  a  snare  for  me.  With  the  first  clause 
of  this  verse  compare  Ps.  xlii.  5(4.)  Ixi.  3  (2.)  Ixxvii.  4  (3), 
and  with  the  last  Ps.  cxl.  6  (5.)  cxli.  9.  cxliii.  8. 

5  (4.)  Look  to  the  right  and  see — and  there  is  no  §ne  knowing 
nit — refuge  has  failed  me — there  is  no  one  caring  for  my  soul. 
The  first  two  verbs  must  be  translated  as  imperatives,  as  in  the 
mai-gin  of  the  English  Bible.  The  right  hand  is  mentioned  as 
the  post  of  a  protector.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cix.  6.  ex.  5.  cxxi.  5 
The  end  at  the  beginning  of  the  second  clause  is  foreign  from 
our  idiom,  which  would  seem  to  require  that  or  for.  We  might 
howeyer  say,  look  to  the  right  and  see,  and  (you  will  find  that) 
there  is  no  one  etc.  Knoiviiig,  recognizing,  willing  to  acknow- 
ledge, much  less  to  defend.  There  is  none  to  me,  i.  e.  I  have  none. 
Far  from  having  a  protector  at  my  right  hand,  I  have  not  even 
one  who  will  acknowledge  that  he  knows  me.  Caring,  literally, 
seeking,  asking,  or  inquiring  after  it,  in  order  to  assist  or  save  it. 
Nearly  the  same  form  of  speech  is  used  to  express  the  very  op- 
posite idea,  that  of  seeking  one''s-soul  to  destroy  it.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  XXXV.  4. 

6  (5.)  I  have  cried  u-nfothee,  Jehovah.  I  have  said.  Thou  (art) 
my  refuge,  my  portion  in  the  land  of  life.  I  have  cried  and  still 
cry;  I  have  said  and  still  say.  With  this  last  expression  com- 
pare Ps  xxxi.  15  (14.)  xli.  5  (4.)  Thou  (art)  my  refuge,  as  in 
P.«.  Ixii.  8  (7.)  Ixxi.  7.  My  -portion,  as  in  Ps.  xvi.  5.  Ixxiii,  2(3. 
cxix.  57.  Land  of  life  for  of  the  living),  as  in  Ps.  xxvii.  13. 
lii.  7  (5.) 

7.  (6.)  Hearken  to  my  cry,  for  I  am  red.uced  greatly  ;  free  mt 
from  my  persecutors,  for  they  are  mightier  than  I.     All  these  are 


282  PSALM    CXL II 

favourite  Davidic  phrases.     Hearken  to  my  cry^  as  in  Ps.  xvii.   1 
Ixi.  2  (i.)      I  am  ?  educed  for  weakened)  greatly^  as  iu  Ps.  Ixxix. 
8  (7.)  cxvi.  6.     Compare  Judges  vi.  6.     Free  me  from  my  perse 
tutors  J  as  in  Ps.  vii.  2  (1.)      They  are  mightier  than  /,  as  in  Pc. 
xviii.  18  (17.) 

8.  Bring  out  from  prison  my  soul,  to  thank  thy  name.  Me  shah 
the  righteous  surround  when  thou  shalt  bestow  on  me  (favour.) 
With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xxv.  17.  cvii.  10.  cxliii.  11. 
Some  suppose  an  allusion  to  Joseph's  imprisonment  and  liberation. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  cv.  17 — 20.  To  thank  (or  praise)  thy  name^ 
although  an  exact  translation,  is  restricted  "by  the  English  idiom 
to  the  person  mentioned  just  before,  and  can  only  mean  in 
accordance  with  our  usage,  that  I  may  thank  thy  name  ;  whereas 
the  Hebrew  infinitive  knows  no  such  limitation  and  in  this  case 
simply  means,  that  some  one  (without  defining  who)  may  praise 
thy  name  ;  or,  exchanging  the  active  for  the  passive  form,  that 
thy  name  may  be  praised  ;  or,  retaining  the  indefiuiteness  of  the 
original  expression,  for  the  praising  of  thy  name.  The  agents 
here  intended  are  probably  the  righteous.^  who  are  mentioned  in 
the  next  clause.  The  verb  surround^  which  has  a  hostile  sense 
in  Ps.  xxii.  13.  Hab.  i.  4,  here'means  to  gather  round  one  with  a 
friendly  curiosity  and  eagerness,  which  some  suppose  to  be  sug- 
gested by  the  construction  with  the  preposition  (n),  which  cannot 
be  expressed  in  English.  This  sympathy  of  the  righteous  in  his 
joys  and  sorrows  is  a  favourite  idea  with  David.  See  above,  on 
Ps  XXXV.  27.  xl.  17  (16.)  For  the  meaning  and  construction  of 
.the  last  verb,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xiii.  6.  ciii.  10.  cxvi.  7  . 


PyALMCXLIII.  983 


PSALM     C  X  L  I  I  I . 

Tv»,s  psalm  may  be  divided  into  two  equal  parts,  separated  b_y 
the  ?v^lah  in  v.  6.  The  first  contains  a  complaint,  vs.  1 — 6  ;  tho 
secon.l  a  prayer  for  mercy,  vs.  7 — 12.  It  resembles  the  preceding 
psalm ^  not  only  in  this  relation  of  its  parts,  but  in  its  whole  tone 
and  diction,  its  Davidic  phraseology  combined  with  an  originality 
never  exhibited  by  the  mere  imitator  or  compiler. 

1.  A  Psalm.  By  David.  Jehovah^  hear  my  prayer,  give  ear 
unto  my  cries  for  mercy  ;  in  thy  faithfulness  answer  me  {and)  in 
thy  righteousness .  The  combination  of  faithfulness  and  righteous- 
ness is  like  that  in  Ps.  xxxvi.  6,  7  (5,  6.)  They  can  hardly  be 
regarded  as  distinct  grounds  of  argument,  but  rather  as  modified 
statements  of  the  same.  The  faithfulness  of  God  has  direct 
reference  to  his  promise  or  covenant  engagements;  his  righte- 
ousness has  reference  to  the  claims  of  his  own  people,  but  claims 
which  owe  their  existence  to  those  same  covenant  engagements. 

2.  And  enter  not  into  judgment  with  thy  servant,  for  just  lefo'^e 
thee  is  no  one  living.  To  enter  into  judgment  is  a  forensic  phrase 
meaniuo-  to  go  to  law,  to  prosecute,  to  sue.  See  Job  ix.  32. 
xxii.  4.  The  verb  in  the  last  clause  is  not  a  passive  meaning  to 
be  justified,  but  a  neuter  meaning  to  be  just  or  innocent,  to  be  in 
the  rio-ht  or  on  the  right  side  of  the  controverted  question.  The 
acknowledgment  in  this  verse  has  caused  the  psalm  to  be  reckoned 
umong  the  penitential  psalms.     The  verse  is  often  imitated  oi 


2HA  PSALM    C  XL  II  I. 

referred    to    elsewhere.       See    Job    ix.  2.  xiv.  3.  xv.  14.  Rom 
iii.  20,  etc. 

3.  Fo7'  the  enemy  persecutes  my  soul,  crushes  to  the  earth  my  lift^ 
makes  me  dwell  in  dark  places  like  the  dead  of  old.  This  verse 
assio-ns  a  reason  for  the  preceding  prayers,  a  connection  indicated 
by  the/o;-.  He  prays  that  God  will  deal  with  him  in  mercy,  not 
in  justice,  by  abandoning  him  to  the  fate  here  described.  Com- 
pare Ps.  vii.  6  (5),  but  especially  Ps.  ixxxviii.  4 — 7  (3 — 6.)  Seo 
also  Lam.  iii.  6.  The  last  words  some  understand  to  mean 
forever  dead, 

4.  And  overwhelmed  luiihin  me  is  my  spirit ;  in  the  midst  of  me 
desolated  is  my  heart.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps, 
cxlii.  4  (3) ;  with  the  second  Ps.  xl.  16  (15.) 

5.  /  remember  the  days  of  old  ;  I  meditate  of  all  thy  doing  , 
of  the  icork  of  thy  hands  I  muse.  He  recalls  and  ponders  them 
not  as  a  source  of  comfort,  as  in  Ps.  xliv.  2 — 4  (1 — 3),  but  of 
sorrow,  from  their  painful  contrast  with  his  actual  condition.  Sec 
above,  on  Ps.  xxii.  4 — 6  (3 — 5.)  Ixxvii.  6  (5),  and  with  the  lasi 
clause  compare  Ps.  xcii.  5 

6.  I  spread  my  hands  unto  thee;  my  soul  is  like  a  weary  land 
to  Ihce^  i.  e.  thirsts  or  longs  for  thee,  as  a  dry  or  thirsty  land  for 
rain.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixiii.  2(1.)  A  weary  land  is  an  unu- 
sual expression,  and  one  of  the  peculiar  features  of  this  psalm. 
V/ith  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xliv.  21  (20.)  The  close  of 
the  complaint  or  lamentation,  and  the  strength  of  the  feeling  witb 
vvhich  it  is  uttered,  are  both  indicated  by  the  Selak. 

7.  Hasten,  answer  me.,  Jehovah — my  spirit  fails — hide  not  thy 
face  from  ?ne — or  I  shall  he  confounded  with  {those)  going  down 
[to)  the  pit.     The  meaning  of  the  first  clause  is,  hasten  to  grani 


PSALM    CXLIII.  285 

my  petition.  Fails^  is  spent  or  exhausted.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxviii.  1.  xxxix.  11  (10.)  Ixix.  IS  (17.)  cii.  3  (2.)  That  he  is 
in  extremity,  is  urged  as  a  reason  why  God  cannot  fail  to  hear  and 
answer  him.  This  verse  begins  the  main  prayer  of  the  psalm, 
that  in  vs.  1,  2,  being  merely  introductory  to  the  complaint  in 
vs.  3 — 6,  which  is  itself  introductory  to  the  prayer  that  follows. 

S.  Let  me  hear  in  the  morning  thy  mercy  ;  let  me  know  the  way 
thai  I  must  go^  for  unto  thee  I  raise  my  soul.  All  these  are 
familiar  thoughts  and  terms  to  the  readers  of  the  psalms  of  David, 
and  may  be  severally  found  in  Ps.  xxv.  1 — 4.  li.  10  (8.)  lix.  17 
(iQ.)  The  icay  that  I  must  go.,  not  merely  to  be  right,  but  to  be 
safe  and  happy  ;  the  way  of  safety  as  well  as  that  of  duty.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  cxlii.  7  (6.) 

9.  Free  me  from  my  enemies.,  Jehovah.,  with  thee  I  hide  myself. 
{^''ith  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  lix.  12  (11.)  cxlii.  7;  with  the 
second,  Ps.  xxvii.  5.  xxxi.  21  (20.)  The  form  of  expression  here, 
however,  is  peculiar  and  original.  The  literal  meaning  is  to  thee 
I  cover.,  i.  e.  cover  myself,  the  reflexive  use  of  the  Hebrew  verb 
being  clear  from  Gen.  xxxviii.  14.  Dent.  xxii.  12.  Jon.  iii.  6. 
The  force  of  the  pregnant  construction  is  well  though  freely  given 
in  the  EnglLsh  version,  Ijlee  unto  thee  to  hide  me. 

10.  Teach  me  to  do  thy  will.,  for  thou  (art)  my  God.  Thy  spirit 
(is)  good  ;  let  it  guide  vie  in  level  ground.  This  is  a  prayer  for 
external  safety,  and  at  the  same  time  for  that  spiritual  guidance, 
without  which  it  is  unattainable.  Compare  Ps.  v.  9  (8.)  xxvi. 
12.  xxvii.  11.  xl.  9  (8.)  cxxxix.  10,  24.  Some  make  but  two 
clauses,  and  instead  of  the  short  proposition  in  the  middle,  read, 
let  thy  good  spirit  guide  me  etc.  or  let  thy  5pm^,  /which  isj  good 
suidb  me  etc.  Level  ground^  litei-ally  earth  (or  land)  of  evennai 
for  straightness.)     vSee  above,  on  Ps.  xxvi.  12. 


286  PSALM    CXLIV. 

11.  For  thy  mnne-s  sake^  Jehovah,  thou  wilt  quicken  me  ;  in  th'^ 
righteousness  thou  icilt  bring  out  of  distress  my  soul.  Here  agaia 
wc  have  an  accumulation  of  Davidic  ideas  and  expressions.  For 
thy  nameh  sake,  as  in  Ps.  xxiii.  3.  xxv.  11.  xxxi.  4.  cix.  21. 
Tkott  wilt  quicken  me,  as  in  Ps  cxxxviii.  7.  In  thy  righteousness ^ 
as  in  Ps,  xxxi.  2.  Bring  my  soul  out  of  trouble,  as  in  Ps.  xxv. 
15.  xxxiv.  18  (11.)  cxlii.  8  (1.) 

12.  And  in  thy  mercy  thou  wilt  iestroy  my  enemies  and  cause  to 
perish  all  that  vex  my  soul ;  for  I  (am)  thy  servant.  With  the 
first  clause  compare  Ps.  xxxi.  17  (16.)  xviii.  41  (40.)  Some  find 
here  an  allusion  to  the  promise  in  Deut.  vii.  24.  Vexers,  adver- 
saries, persecutors,  of  my  soul.  Thy  servant,  not  merely  a  be- 
liever but  a  chosen  instrument,  not  merely  one  of  thy  people  but 
their  chief  and  representative,  and  as  si^ftb  entitled  to  deliverance, 
both  for  their  sake  and  my  own.  In  these  two  verses,  the  form 
of  direct  petition  is  insensibly  exchanged  for  that  of  confident  an- 
ticipation. 


PSALM    CXLIV. 

This  is  a  kind  of  supplement  or  counterpart  to  Ps.  xviii,  in 
which  the  view  there  taken  of  David's  personal  experience  is  ap- 
-plied  to  the  anticipated  case  of  his  successors.  The  design  thus 
assumed  accounts  for  the  position  of  the  psalm  in  the  collection. 
That  its  being  placed  precisely  here  is  not  fortuitous,  may  be  in- 
ferred from  its  furnishing  a  kind  of  link  between  the  urgent  en- 
treaties  of  the  preceding  psalms  and  the  triumphant  praise  of 
those  which  follow.  The  Davidic  origin  of  this  psalm  is  as  marked 
88  that  of  any  in   the   Psalter.      The   accumulation    of  Davidio 


PSALM    CXLIV.  287 

phrases  is  confined  to  the  first  part,  while  the  last  is  independent 
and  original,  a  fact  entirely  inconsistent  with  the  supposition  of  a 
later  compilation.  The  Psalmist  thanks  God  for  his  protection 
of  himself  and  of  mankind  in  general,  vs.  1 — 4,  prays  for  deliver- 
ance from  present  dangers,  vs.  5 — 8,  expresses  his  confident  an- 
ticipation of  a  favourable  answer,  vs.  9 — 10,  renews  his  prayer, 
n@t  only  for  himself  but  for  the  chosen  people,  vs.  11 — 14,  and 
felicitates  them  that  they  are  such,  v.  15. 

1.  By  David.  Blessed  he  Jehovah^  my  jR.ock^  the  (one)  training 
my  hands  for  fight.,  my  fingers  for  tear.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xviii.  35,  47  (34,  46),  where  most  of  these  expressions  have 
already  been  explained.  Fight  and  war  are  both  verbs  and 
nouns  in  English,  but  the  Hebrew  words  are  nouns  with  the  ar- 
ticle prefixed.  David  here  begins  by  referring  all  the  successes 
of  himself  and  his  successors  to  Jehovah. 

2.  My  mercy  and  my  fortress^  my  high  place.,  and  a  deliverer 
for  me.,  my  shield  and  (he)  in  whom  I  trust.,  the  (one)  subduing 
my  people.  No  less  than  five  of  these  descriptive  epithets  are 
taken  from  a  single  verse  of  Ps.  xviii,  viz.  v.  3  (2.)  Peculiar  to 
the  place  before  us  is  my  mercy.,  i.  e.  my  God  of  mercy.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  lix.  18  (17.)  The  benefit  of  these  relations  to  Je- 
hovah David  claims  not  merely  for  himself  but  for  his  royal  race, 
which  was  closed  and  yet  perpetuated  in  the  Messiah.  He  in 
whom,  I  trust.,  literally,  and  in  him  I  trust.  My  people.,  in  its 
widest  sense,  including  Israel  and  the  Gentiles  who  were  to  be 
added  to  the  kingdom  of  David  under  the  reign  of  the  Messiah. 
Compare  Ps.  xviii.  44,  48  (43,  47)  with  the  parallel  passages  in 
2  Samuel. 

3.  Jehovah.^  what  (is)  man,  that  thou  shouldst  know  him.,  the 
ion  of  man.,  that  thou-  shouldst  think  of  him  ?  The  greatness  of 
God's  goodness  is  enhanced  by  a  view  of  man's  insignificance  and 


288  PSALM    CXLIV. 

unwortbiness.  The  original  construction  seems  to  be,  who.t  is 
man?  {uothmg)^  and  (yet)  thou  knoivest  him  etc.  To  know  is 
here  to  recognise  as  being  in  existence,  to  take  notice  of.  1  he 
first  9?ian  is  the  generic  term,  the  second  one  denoting  wfakness. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  5  (4),  and  compare  2  Sam  vii.  IS. 

4.  Man  to  vanity  is  like  ;  his  days  (are)  as  a  passing  shadow. 
He  cannot  therefore  be  a  worthy  object,  in  himself,  of  the  divine 
regard  and  favour.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xxxix. 
6,  7  (5,  6),  Ixii.  10  (9)  ;  with  the  second,  Ps.  cii.  12  (11.)  ciii.  15. 

5.  Jehovah^  how  thy  heavens  and  come  down  ;  touch  the  moun-' 
kiins  and  let  them  smoke.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps. 
sviii.  10  (9.)  What  God  is  there  described  as  doing,  he  is  here 
besought  to  do  again.  With  the  last  clause  compare  Ps.  civ.  32 
Mou7itains^  in  all  such  connections,  would  necessarily  suggest  the 
idea  of  states  and  kingdoms.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xlvi.  3,  4(2,  3.) 

6.  Lighteni  lightning  and  scatter  them  ;  send  out  thy  arrows 
and  confound  them.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  a  verb  occurring 
nowhere  else,  and  composed  of  the  same  radicals  with  the  common 
word  for  lightnivg  which  immediately  follows.  For  the  meaning 
of  the  other  terms,  see  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  15  (14),  and  compare 
the  parallel  passage,  2  Sam.  xxii.  15  (14),  with  which  the  writer 
of  the  psalm  before  us  was  certainly  acquainted,  as  appears 
from  his  occasional  use  of  its  peculiar  readings. 

7.  Send  thy  hands  from  on  high  ;  rid  me  and  free  me  from  (the) 
many  waters^  from  the  hand  of  aliens.  With  the  first  clause 
compare  Ps.  xviii.  17  (16.)  For  hand  we  have  here  the  plural 
hands,  and  for  the  two  verbs  there  used  two  substantially  equiva- 
lent, the  first  of  which  has  the  sense  here  given  to  it  only  in  this 
place  and  the  cognate  languages,  and  is  therefore  well  represented 
by  the  less  usual  English  word  rid.    With  the  last  clause,  compare 


PSALM    CXLIV.  289 

Ps.  xviii.  45,  46  (44,  45),  where  the  phrase  sons  of  strom^eness 
(or  of  foreign  j^arts)  has  been  explained  alieady. 

S.  Whose  mouth  speaks  fraud ^  and  their  right  hand  (is)  a  righ 
hand  of  falsehood.  The  word  translated  fraud  is  properly  a 
negative  meaning  vanity  or  emptiness,  but  applied  to  the  want  of 
moral  goodness  and  especially  of  truth.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv.  4. 
The  right  hand  is  mentioned  in  allusion  either  to  the  practice  of 
swearing  with  uplifted  hand  (Ps.  cvi.  26),  or  to  that  of  striking 
hands  in  bargains  (2  Kings  x.  15.)  There  seems  to  be  reference, 
in  tiiis  verse,  to  the  feigned  obedience  of  the  enemy,  Ps.  xviii. 
45  (^^4.) 

9.  Oh  God^  a  new  song  I  ivill  sing  to  thee  ;  with  a  lyre  of  ten 
(strings)  /  will  play  (or  make  music)  to  thee.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  xxxiii.  2,  3,  where  David  exhorts  others  to  do  what  he  here 
resolves  and  vows  to  do  himself.  The  new  song  still  implies  a 
new  occasion  for  it,  so  that  he  here  begins  to  anticipate  the  an- 
swer to  his  foregoing  prayers. 

10.  The  (one)  giving  salvation  to  kings  ;  the  (one)  ridding 
David  his  servant  from  an  evil  sword.  This  mode  of  connecting 
gentences,  by  a  participle  agreeing  with  a  noun  in  the  foregoing 
context,  is  a  characteristic  feature  of  Ps.  xviii.  See  vol.  i. 
pp.  144,  145.  The  kings  particularly  meant  are  the  theocratical 
sovereigns,  the  royal  family  of  David.     Ridding^  the  participle 

*of  the  verb  so  rendered  in  v.  7.  David  (as)  his  servant.,  because 
he  is  his  servant,  in  the  sense  repeatedly  explained  already.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  cxliii.  2,  12.  David  speaks  of  himself  by  name, 
not  only  here  but  in  Ps.  xviii.  51  (50.)  Ixi.  7  {Q.)  Ixiii.  12  (lU 
2  Sam.  vii.  2Q.  An  evil  sword,  not  only  dangerous  but  wicked. 
Compare  Ps.  xxii.  21  (20.) 

11.  Rid  me  and  free  me  from  the  hand  of  aliens.,  whose  mouth 

VOL.    Ill  13 


290  PSALM    CXLIV. 

speaks  fraud^  ana  whose  right  hand  (is)  a  right  hand  of  faisehood 
In  resumiug  the  language  of  direct  petition,  the  terms  of  vs.  7,  8, 
are  studiously  repeated,  as  if  to  show  that  this  prayer  is  parallel  to 
that,  and  not  an  addition  to  it. 

12.  So  that  our  sons  (may  be)  as  plants  grown  large  in  their 
youth,  oiir  daughters  tis  corner-stones  hewn  (for)  the  building  of 
the  temple.  The  reminiscences  or  imitations  of  Ps.  xviii  suddenly 
cease  here,  and  are  followed  by  a  series  of  original,  peculiar,  and 
for  the  most  part  no  doabt  antique  expressions.  On  the  supposi- 
tion that  the  title  is  correct  in  making  David  the  author,  this  is 
natural  enough.  On  any  other  supposition  it  is  unaccountable, 
unless  by  the  gratuitous  assumption,  that  this  is  a  fragment  of  an 
older  composition,  a  mode  of  reasoning  by  which  any  thing  may 
be  either  proved  or  disproved.  The  first  word  in  Hebrew  is  the 
relative  pronoun,  and  the  literal  meaning  of  the  clause  is,  (hy) 
'Which  (qv  in  consequence  of  which)  our  sons,  etc.  The  which  re- 
fers to  the  deliverance  prayed  for  in  the  preceding  verse.  Grown 
large,  literally  magnified  or  7nade  great.  The  common  version 
(groion  up  in  their  youth)  has  a  paradoxical  appearance,  arising 
from  the  ambiguity  of  our  phrase  groivn  up,  which  is  applied  (like 
the  Greek  ^Y^ncia)  both  to  age  and  stature.  The  word  translated 
corner-stones  has  the  same  sense  in  Zech.  ix.  15.  The  corner- 
Btones  are  mentioned  as  those  which  were  hewn  and  polished  with 
peculiar  care.  Liketiess  or  model  would  agree  better  with  the 
usage  of  the  Hebrew  word  (^'^?^^),  but  its  primary  sense,  as  a 
derivative  of  the  verb  ('"'■?|)  to  build,  is  here  still  more  appropri- 
ate. Most  interpreters  give  the  last  word  the  vague  sense  of  a 
palace,  considered  as  a  splendid  building.  There  is  something, 
however,  far  more  striking  in  the  translation  temple,  found  in  tho 
Prayer-Book  and  the  ancient  versions.  The  omission  of  the  article 
L3  a  poetic  license  of  perpetual  occurrence.  The  temple  was  the 
gieat  architectural  model  and  standaid  of  comparison,  and  particu- 
larly remarkable  for  the  great  size  and  skilful  ek))oration  of  its 


PSALM    CXLIV.  2^ 

foundation-stones,  some  of  wliich,  there  is  reason  to  believe,  have 
remained  undisturbed  since  the  time  of  Solomon.  See  Robinson's 
Palestine,  vol.  i,  pp.  422—426. 

13.  Our  garners  fidl^  affording  from  kind  to  kind  ;  our  flocks 
bearing  thousands^  multiplied  by  myriads^  in  our  streets.  From 
kind  to  kind  seems  to  denote  not  only  variety  but  regular  succes- 
sion, as  expressed  in  Hengstenberg's  version,  one  kind  after  an- 
other.  Compare  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  8  (7.)  The  paiiticiples  in  the  next 
clause  are  highly  idiomatic  and  scarcely  reproducible  in  any 
other  language.  A  somewhat  similar  example  occurs  above, 
Ps.  Ixix.  32  (31.)  But  there  both  forms  are  active,  whereas  here 
we  have  one  active  and  one  passive  participle,  formed  directly 
from  the  Hebrew  words  denoting  a  thousand  and  a  myriad,  the 
last  of  which  is  a  derivative  of  the  verb  to  increase  or  midti'ply^ 
and  would  therefoi-e  necessarily  suggest  that  idea.  See  above,  ou 
Ps.  iii.  7  (6.)  Ixviii.  18  (17.)  Streets,  though  not  incorrect,  is 
an  inadequate  translation  of  the  Hebrew  word  (niir^n),  which 
means  external  spaces,  streets  as  opposed  to  the  insid'j  of  houses, 
fields  or  country  as  opposed  to  a  whole  town.  Hen  it  includes 
not  only  roads  but  fields. 

14.  Our  oxen  loaded — 7io  damage  and  no  loss — aiid  w  comjplaim 
in  our  streets.  The  first  particular  implies  abundancoj.  For  the 
use  of  oxen  as  beasts  of  burden,  see  1  Chr.  xii.  40.  Damage  and 
loss.,  literally,  breach  and  going  forth.  Complaint,  liierally,  cry, 
but  especially  for  loss  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth.  See  Isu.  xxiv.  11. 
Some  give  the  sentence  an  entirely  different  meaning,  by  supposing 
the  word  translated  oxen  to  mean  princes,  as  it  does  in  Zech.  ix.  7, 
xii.  5,  6,  and  giving  the  participle  joined  with  it  the  Chaldee  sense 
of  raised  erect  or  upright.  Going  out  then  means  going  out  to 
war,  as  in  Am.  v.  3,  breach  the  incursion  of  an  enemy,  and  cry  a 
war-cry.  But  the  first  Hebrew  word  in  question  (^^^^)  is  applied 
^nly  to  the  chiefs  of  Edom  (Gen.  xxxvi.  15),  except  in  the  latest 


2^2  PSALM    CXLV. 

books  of  the  Old  Testament,  such  as  Zechariah  ;  and  we  nattirallj 
look  for  oxen  after  sheep,  as  in  Ps.  viii.  8  (7.) 

15.  Ilappij  the  people  (with)  whom  (it  is)  thus !  Happy  the  people 
whose  God  (is)  Jehovah  !  The  clauses  are  not  antithetical  but 
equivalent.  The  people  means  the  (chosen)  people,  Isiael,  with 
whom,  in  prosperous  times,  it  was  thus,  and  was  thus  fur  the  very 
reason  that  Jehovah  was  their  God. 


PSALM    C  X  L  Y 


This  has  been  happily  characterized  as  the  "new  song"  prom- 
ised in  Ps.  cxliv.  9.  In  other  words,  it  is  the  song  of  praise,  cor- 
responding to  the  didactic,  penitential,  and  supplicatory  psalms  of 
this  series.  In  form  it  is  an  alphabetical  psalm,  and  like  others  of 
that  class  (see  vol.  i.  p.  206)  admits  of  no  analysis,  being  made  up 
of  variations  on  a  single  theme,  the  righteousness  and  goodness  of 
the  Lord  to  men  in  general,  to  his  own  people  in  particular,  and 
more  especially  to  those  who  suffer.  The  letter  nun  is  wanting, 
being  omitted,  as  some  suppose,  for  the  sake  of  having  three  equal 
stanzas,  each  containing  seven  verses.  The  Septuagint  supplies 
the  omission,  in  a  veiy  inartificial  manner,  by  anticipating  v.  17 
before  v.  15,  with  a  simple  change  of  righteous  (p'^T^)  to  faith- 
fid  (lr?:v),  as  in  Ps.  cxi.  7. 

1.  Praise.  By  David.  I  will  exalt  thee.,  my  God.^  the  King 
and  will  bless  thy  name  to  eternity  and  perpetuity.  This  is  the 
only  case  in  which  the  word  Praise  stands  alone  as  the  designatioa 
Dr  description  of  a  psalm.  It  evidently  bears  an  antithetical  re- 
Utioa  to  the  title  Prayer  in  Ps.  cxlii.  I,  the  rather  as  the  Hebrew 


PSALM    CXLV.  093 

words  (n|??i  and  n^n?!)  are  still  more  alike  than  their  English 
equivalents,  difFei-ing  only  in  a  single  letter.  /  icill  exalt  thee^  ai? 
in  Ps.  XXX.  2  (1),  where  the  reason  is  expressed  that  is  here  im- 
plied, to  wit,  that  God  had  exalted  him.  The  king^  the  only  true 
king,  the  king  of  kings,  by  whom  they  are  put  up  and  down,  pro- 
tected and  punished.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxliv.  10,  and  compare 
Ps.  V.  3  (2.)  XX.  10  (9.)  xxiv.  8,  10.  xxix.  15.  xciii.  1.  xcv.  3. 
■-•vi.  10.  xcix.  1.  The  regal  honours  paid  to  himself  by  others 
^avid  here  transfers  as  due  to  God  alone.  Bless  thy  name^  i.  e. 
reverently  praise  it.  See  above,  on  Ps.  v.  12  (11.)  xxxiv.  2  (1.) 
ciii.  1.  Forever  and  ever,  in  reference  not  merely  to  himself  but 
to  nis  royal  race,  which  is  to  live  forever.  See  above,  on 
Vs.  cxxxviii.  8. 

2.  Every  day  will  I  hlcss  thee  and  praise  thy  name  to  eter- 
nity and  perpetuity.  Compare  Ps.  Ixviii.  20  (19.)  Ixix.  31  (30.) 
xcii.  2,  3.     Every  day  denotes  constancy  and  regularity. 

3.  Great  (is)  Jehovah  and  to  he  praised  exceedingly,  and  to  his 
greatness  there  is  no  search,  i.  e.  it  is  unsearchable.  The  first 
clause  is  quoted  in  Ps.  xlviii.  2(1.)  Greatly  to  be  praised,  as  in 
Ps.  xviii.  4  (3.)  xcvi.  4.  cxiii.  3.  His  greatness,  as  displayed  in 
act,  his  great  performance  or  performances.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixxi.  21.  With  the  last  words  of  the  verse  compare  Ps. 
xl  6  (5.) 

4.  Generation  to  generation  lauds  thy  deeds,  and  thy  mighty 
doings  they  declare.  With  the  first  clause  compare  Ps.  xix.  3  (2.) 
The  verbs  are  of  the  future  form,  lauds  and  will  laud,  declare 
and  will  declare.  The  first  verb  is  the  one  used  in  Ps.  Ixiii.  4  (3.) 
cxvii.  1  Mighty  doings,  literally,  mights  or  poivers,  but  always 
used,  like  greatness,  in  an  active  not  an  abstract  sense.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xx.  7  (6.)  cvi.  2.      They  declare  may  agree  witb 


294  PSALM    CXLV. 

men  indefinitely,  or  with  the  double  generation  in  the  first  clause, 
which,  however,  is  there  construed  with  a  verb  in  the  singular. 

5.  (Of)  the.  beaity  of  the  honour  of  thy  majesty^  and  the  ivotds 
of  thy  uwnders^  I  icill  muse  (or  meditate.)  The  accumulation  of 
synonymous  expressions  in  the  first  clause  has  been  falsely  repre- 

^nted  as  a  proof  of  later  date  and  a  corrupted  taste,  whereas  it 
only  proves  intensity  of  admiration.  For  examples  of  the  same 
thing  in  undisputed  psalms  of  David,  see  above,  Ps.  xviii.  3  (2.) 
Ixii.  8  (7).  Beauty  and  majesty^  as  in  Ps.  xlv.  4  (3.)  Honour 
or  glory .^  as  in  Ps.  xix.  1.  Words  of  thy  uwnders  are  the  wonders 
or  wondrous  deeds  themselves,  considered  as  subjects  of  discourse 
or  celebration.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  4  (3.)  cv.  27.  I  will 
muse,  as  in  Ps.  Ixxvii.  13  (12.)  cxix.  If),  23,  27,  48,  78,  148. 

6.  Aful  the  force  of  thy  dread  (deeds)  they  utter — and  (as  to) 
thy  greatness^  I  unll  recount  it.  Dread.^  literally, /grtrc^i,  and  then 
to  he  feared.,  as  praised  means  to  he  praised  in  v.  3  above.  Utter, 
literally  say,  precisely  as  in  Ps.  xl.  11  (10.)  Greatness,  or  ac- 
cording to  the  reading  in  the  text  of  the  Hebrew  Bible,  great- 
nesses, i.  e.  great  deeds,  as  mights  means  mighty  deeds  in  v.  5. 

7.  The  memory  of  thy  great  goodness  they  pour  forth,  and  (of) 
thy  righteousness  they  sing  (or  shout.)  Memory,  as  in  Ps.  vi.  6  (5.) 
Great  goodness  is  the  order  of  the  words  not  only  in  Eng- 
lish but  in  Hebrew,  where  it  is  unusual.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  Ixxxix.  51  (50.)  Four  forth,  SiS  in  Ps.  xix.  3  (2.)  Ixxviii.  2. 
Compare  Ps-  lix.  8  (7.)  Thy  righteousness,  as  in  Ps.  xxxi.  2(1.) 
li.  16  (14.)  cxliii.  1.  Sing  or  skoiot  for  joy.  The  construction 
is  like  that  in  Ps.  li.  16  (14.)  lix.  17  (16.) 

8.  Gracious  and  compassionate  (is)  Jehovah,  slow  to  ajiger  and 
great  (Li)  mercy.      Compare  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  15  (14.)  ciii.  8.  cxi.  4 


PSALM    CXLV  295 

Instead  of  the  usual  expression  (^'^^  viuch  or  ahiindant^  we  have 
here  great^  in  allusion  to  its  previous  use  in  vs.  3,  6. 

9.  Good  (is)  Jehovah  to  all,  and  his  compassions  (are)  over  all 
his  works.  All,  literally,  the  all,  the  whole  universe.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  cxix.  91.  Over  or  upon,  the  jfirst  suggesting  the 
idea  of  a  covering,  the  second  that  of  a  descent  from  above.  ITii 
7vorks,  the  things  which  he  has  made,  his  creatures.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  ciii.  22.  The  argument  implied  is,  how  much  more  to 
his  own  people,  the  creatures  of  his  grace.  See  above,  on 
Ps.  cxxxviii.  8. 

10.  All  thy  creatures,  oh  Jehovah,  jpraise  (or  thank')  thee,  and 
thy  saints  bless  thee.  The  future  forms,  as  usual,  denote  that  it  is 
so  and  will  be  so.  The  superfluous  n  in  the  last  word  is  an  or- 
thographical peculiarity  like  that  in  Ps.  cxxxix.  3.  cxl.  8.  <ixli.  8. 
As  saints  (or  gracious  ones)  are  more  than  creatures,  so  to  bless 
is  more  than  to  praise.     See  above,  on  v.  1 . 

11.  7''he  glory  of  thy  reign  they  utter,  and  thy  might  they  speak. 
Compare  Ps.  ciii.  19.  Thy  reign  or  kingdom,  which  is  universal. 
The  whole  phrase  may  mean  thy  royal  dignity  or  honour. 

12.  To  make  known  to  the  sons  of  man  his  mighty  deeds,  and  the 
glory  of  the  majesty  of  his  reign  (or  kingdom.)  Some  give  the 
infinitive  the  force  of  a  gerund,  by  making  known  ;  but  the  true 
sense  seems  to  be,  so  as  to  (or  so  that  they)  m.a.ke  known.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  18. 

13.  Thy  reign  is  a  reign  of  all  eternities,  and  thy  dominion  In 
gentralinn  and,  generation.  These  words  are  also  found  in 
Dan  iii.  33.  iv.  31.  The  meaning  of  the  last  clause  is,  thy  domi- 
Dion  itiii  'jji*/t3  and  :?hall  exist  in  every  successive  generation. 


296  PSALM    CXLV. 

14.  An  upnolder  (is)  Jehovah  for  all  the  fallings  a  lifter  up 
for  ah  the  boivcd  down.  The  first  word  in  each  clause  in  properly 
a  participle,  here  used  as  a  noun,  and  therefore  followed  by  the 
preposition  to  or  for.  Translated  in  either  way,  the  words  neces- 
sarily suggest  the  idea  of  habitual  action.  With  the  first  clause 
compare  Ps.  xxxvii.  17,  24.  liv.  6  (4.)  cxix.  116. 

15.  The  eyes  of  all  unto  thee  (look  and)  wait.,  and  thou  giv est 
them  their  food  in  its  season.  The  verb  in  the  first  clause  means 
to  wait,  expect,  or  hope,  but  is  here  construed  with  the  preposi- 
tion to  or  towards.,  which  implies  the  act  of  turning  or  looking  to 
the  object  confided  in.  Givest.,  literally  giving^  i.  e.  (art  habit- 
ually)  giving.  See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  27,  where  these  words  are 
quoted. 

16.  Opening  thy  hand  and  satisfying  to  every  living  (thing  its) 
desire.,  or  the  desire  of  every  living  thing.  Another  construction, 
preferred  by  some  interpreters,  is,  satisfying  (giving  satisfaction) 
to  every  living  thing  (in  its)  desire,  viz.  that  which  it  desires. 
See  the  imitation  of  this  verse  in  Ps.  civ.  28,  and  compare 
Ps.  ciii.  5.  Acts  xiv.  17.  The  words  satisfy  and  will  (or  desire) 
are  combined,  as  here,  in  Deut  xxxiii.  23. 

17.  Righteo2is  (is)  Jehovah  in  all  his  ways  and  merciful  in  all 
his  works.  Justice  and  mercy  are  not  mentioned  here  as  oppo- 
sites,  but  rather  as  equivalents,  the  goodness  of  Grod  being  really 
included  in  the  rectitude  so  frequently  ascribed  to  him. 

18.  JVear  (is)  Jehovah  to  all  calling  upon  him.,  to  all  falling 
upon  him  in  truth.,  i.  e.  sincerely,  with  importunate  desire  and 
strong  confidence.     With  this  verse  compare  Ps.  xxxiv.  7,  1 9. 

19.  The  will  of  his  fearers  he  will  do,  and  their  cry  he  will 
hear,  and  will  save  them.     He  will  do  what  they  desire,  or  grant 


PSALM    CXLVI.  297 

flioir  prayer,  especially  tlieir  prayer  for  help  in  time  of  danger  and 
distress,  as  intimated  in  the  last  clause.  Compare  Ps.  xxxiv.  10, 
16  (9,  15.)  xxxvii.  40. 

20.  Jehovah  keeps  all  that  love  him,  and  all  the  tcickcd  will  ht 
destroy.  The  fearers  of  v.  19  and  the  lovers  of  this  verse  are  iden- 
tical, which  sliows  that  godly  fear  and  love  are  not  incompatible. 
Keeps,  literally  keeping,  as  in  v.  15,  from  all  danger  and  distress, 
preserving. 

21.  The  praise  of  Jehovah  shall  my  mouth  speak,  and  all  flesh 
shall  bless  his  holy  name  forever,  or  retaining  the  idiomatic  form  of 
the  original,  all  flesh  shall  bless  the  name  of  his  holiness  (or  his 
name  of  holiness)  to  eternity  and  perpetuity.  The  use  of  the  word 
praise  connects  this  verse  with  the  title  or  inscription  in  v.  1, 
which  is  thereby  justified  or  proved  to  be  correct.  All  flesh,  as 
in  Ps.  Ixv.  3  (2.)     Jlis  holy  name,  as  in  Ps.  xxxiii.  21. 


P  S  A  L  J\I    CXLVI. 

This  psalm  may  be  divided  into  two  equal  parts,  the  first  of 
which  describes  the  happiness  of  those  who  trust  in  God  and  not 
in  man,  vs.  1 — 5,  while  the  second  gives  the  reason,  drawn  from 
the  divine  perfections,  vs.  6 — 10.  The  psalm  is  distinguished 
from  the  Davidic  series  which  precedes  it  (cxxxviii — cxlv)  by 
its  whole  internal  character.  At  the  same  time  its  coincidences 
of  expression  with  the  one  immediately  before  it  show  that  it  was 
meant  to  be  used  in  connection  with  it,  and  may  therefore  be  re- 
garded a::,  the  closing  psalm  of  the  whole  series  beginning  with 


298  PSALMCLVI. 

Ps.  cxxxv,  and  belonging  to  the  time  of  Haggai  and  Zechariah,  to 
which  the  psalm  before  us  is  expressly  referred  in  the  Septuagint 
Version. 

1.  Ililldvjnh  !  Praise,  oh  my  soul,  Jehovah!  See  above, 
Ps.  ciii.  1,  22.  civ.  1,  35.  The  Halldujah  never  appears  in  any 
psalm  which  bears  the  name  of  David,  and  is  indeed  as  character- 
istic of  the  later  psalms  as  the  Selah  is  of  the  more  ancient. 

2.  I  will  jjraise  Jehovah  while  T  live  ;  I  vnll  make  music  to  my 
God  while  I  still  (exist.)  For  the  literal  meaning  of  these  words, 
see  above',  on  Ps.  civ.  33,  from  which  they  are  borrowed,  with  the 
unimportant  change  of  si7ig  to  praise. 

3.  Trust  ye  not  in  princes,  in  the  son  of  man,  to  whom  there  is  no 
salvation,  who  cannot  save  either  himself  or  others,  but  is  wholly 
dependent  upon  God.  Compare  Ps.  xl.  5  (4.)  Ixxv.  7,  8  (6,  7.) 
cviii.  13.  cxvi.  11.  cxliv.  10.  7'his  may  be  regarded  as  an  exhort- 
ation to  men  in  general  from  Israel,  an  exhortation  founded  on  hia 
own  experience. 

4.  Forth  goes  his  spirit,  he  returns  to  his  earth  ;  in  that  very  day 
his  thoughts  perish.  For  the  meaning  of  the  first  clause,  see  above, 
on  Ps.  civ.  29.  The  primary  idea  of  breath  and  the  secondary 
one  of  spirit  run  into  each  other  in  the  usage  of  the  Hebrew  word 
(^3^^)?  so  that  either  may  be  expressed  in  the  translation,  without 
entirely  excluding  the  other.  His  thoughts,  his  vain  notions  or 
ambitious  schemes. 

6.  Happy  he  whose  help  is  the  God  of  Jacob,  (and)  his  relianct 
on  Jehovah  his  God.  Whose  hdp,  literally,  ni  whose  help,  i.  e 
engaged,  en)p!oyed  in  it,  or  more  probably,  among  ivhose  helpers 
Compare  Ps.  xlv.  10  (9.)  liv.  6  (4.)  xcix.  6.  cxviii.  7.  The  divine 
came   O'^)  here  used  suggests  the  idea  of  almighty  power,  as 


PSALM    CXLVI  299 

opposed  to  that  of  human  weakness.  Reliance^  literally,  expecta- 
tion, hope  ;  but  the  first  idea  is  necessarily  suggested  by  the  prepo- 
sition on. 

6.  WIio  made  heaven  and  earth.,  the  sea.,  and  all  that  (is)  in  them 
— the  (one)  keeping  truth  forever .  Two  reasons  are  here  given  for 
thus  relying  upon  God ;  his  almighty  power,  as  exercised  and 
proved  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  his  unchangeable  fidelity. 
See  above,  Ps.  xxv.  5.  Who  made.,  literal!}'-,  making.^  with  the 
usual  reference  to  Grod's  creative  power  as  still  exerted  in  the  sus- 
tentation  of  the  universe.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixv.  7  (6.)  cxxi.  2. 
cxliv.  2. 

7.  Doing  justice  to  the  oppressed — giving  bread  to  the  hungry — 
Jehovah.,  freeing  (or  the  liberator  of)  the  bound.  He  is  not  only 
able  but  accustomed  to  relieve  those  in  distress,  of  whom  several  dis- 
tinct classes  are  here  specified  as  samples.  Compare  Ps.  xxxvii.  19. 
Ixviii.  6,  7  (5,  6.)  cvii.  5,  9,  10.  cxlv.  14.     Hunger  and  captivity 

'  are  both  familiar  figures  for  spiritual  evils,  as  well  as  literal  desig- 
nations of  external  ones,  both  which  may  here  be  considered  aa 
included. 

8.  Jehovah  opens  (the  eyes  of)  the  blind  ;  Jehovah  raises  up  the 
boived  down  ;  Jehovah  loves  the  righteous.  The  ellipsis  in  the  first 
clause  is  not  so  harsh  in  Hebrew  as  in  English,  because  the  verb 
(nj?S)  is  almost  confined,  in  usage,  to  the  eyes,  and  would  at  once 
suggest  them  to  a  Hebrew  reader.  \11  the  verbs  are  of  the  parti- 
C'pial  form,  opening.,  raising.,  loving.,  i.  e.  continually  doing  so. 
The  first  clause  is  applicable  both  to  bodily  and  mental  blindness. 
Compare  Deut.  xxviii.  29.  Isai.  lix.  10.  Job  xii.  2b.  The  second 
clause  is  borrowed  from  Ps.  cxlv.  14. 

9.  Jehovah  p'-eservcs  strangers  ;  orplmn  and  ividow  he  relieves  ; 
and  the  way  of  wicked  men  makes  crooked.      The  strangt3r,  the  or- 


30C  PSALM    CXLVII. 

pban,  and  the  widow  are  constantly  presented  in  the  Lawas  objects 
of  compassion  and  beneficence.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  G,  7  (o,  6.j 
Relieves  J  restores,  raises  up  from  their  low  condition.  As  a  straight 
path  is  an  emblem  of  prosperity,  to  render  one's  path  crooked  is  to 
involve  him  in  calamity.  The  same  verb  is  applied,  in  a  moral 
Bense,  to  the  perverse  conduct  of  the  wicked,  Ps.  cxix.  78. 

10.  Jehovah  (reigns  and)  iliall  reign  to  eternity  ;  thy  Goa^  oh 
Zion,  to  generation  and  generation.  Hallelujah  (praise  ye  Jah) : 
The  Psalm  closes  with  a  grand  sentence  from  the  Song  of  Moses, 
Ex.  XV.  18,  to  which  a  parallel  clause  is  added,  and  a  concluding 
Ilallelujah^  winding  up  the  whole  series  of  psalms,  supposed  to 
have  been  sung  at  the  completion  of  the  second  temple. 


PSALM    CXLYII. 

A  SONG  of  praise  to  Jehovah  on  account  of  his  goodness  to  his 
creatures  generally,  and  to  his  church  or  chosen  people  in  particu- 
lar. Both  these  themes  run  through  the  psalm  ;  but  one  is  pre- 
dominant in  the  first  part,  vs.  1 — 1 1  ;  the  other  in  the  second,  vs. 
12 — 20.  The  four  remaining  psalms  (cxlvii — cl),  connected  to- 
gether, and  distinguished  from  what  goes  before,  by  the  Hallelujah 
'with  which  they  all  begin  and  end  ;  by  their  joyous  tone,  unmixed 
with  lamentation  or  complaint ;  by  their  frequent  allusions  to  some 
great  deliverance  recently  experienced ;  and  by  the  peculiar  way 
in  which  they  bring  together  the  exhibitions  of  God's  glory  in  the 
vyorks  of  nature  and  in  his  dealings  with  the  church  ;  have  not 
Improbably  been  represented  as  a  series,  intended  to  commemo- 
rate iJLa.  completion  of  the  walls  of  Jerusalem   by  Nehemiah,  aa 


PSALM    CXLVII.  301 

event  described  in  the  history  itself,  as  putting  an  end  to  the 
reproach  of  Israel,  and  restoring  the  Holy  City  to  its  proper 
rank.  See  Neh.  i.  3.  ii.  5,  17.  vi.  6,  7,  15,  16.  vii.  4.  ix.  6, 
13,  14.  X.  29.  xii.  27,  35,  41,  43. 

1.  Hallelujah  (praise  ye  Jah),  for  it  is  good  to  celebrate  our 
God,  for  it  is  sweet  (and)  praise  becoming.  This  is  made  up  of 
the  begmnings  of  three  other  psalms.  See  above,  Ps.  xcii.  2(1.) 
cxxxv.  3.  xxxiii.  1.  Celebrate,  muke  music  to,  with  voice  and  in- 
strument. See  above,  on  Ps.  vii.  18  (17.)  Instead  o{  it  is  sweet 
some  read  he  is  lovely,  i.  e.  a  worthy  object  of  supreme  affection, 
as  in  Ps.  cxxxv.  3.  But  even  there  the  construction  is  a  doubt- 
ful one,  and  here  the  first  proposed  above  is  recommended  by  the 
fact  that  the  epithets  before  and  after  relate  not  to  God  himself 
but  to  his  praise. 

2.  Building  Jerusalem  (is)  Jehovah  ;  the  outcasts  of  Israel  ht 
gathers.  The  rebuilding  of  the  walls  in  the  days  of  Nehemiah, 
may  be  said  to  have  completed  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  in 
Isai.  xi.  12.  Ivi.  8.     Compare  Ps.  cvii.  3. 

3.  The  (one)  healing  the  broken-hearted  and  binding  up  tneu 
wounds.  This  was  true  as  a  general  description,  and  specially 
exemplified  in  the  deliverance  which  Israel  had  experienced. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiv.  19  (18.)  ciii.  3,  and  compare  Isai.  Ixi.  1. 

4.  Telling  the  number  of  the  stars — to  all  of  them  names  he 
calls.  The  God  who  thus  provides  for  Israel  is  the  God  of  nature 
no  less  than  of  grace.  Telling,  counting,  reckoning,  estimating. 
Not  determining  beforehand,  but  simply  doing  what  man  cannot 
See  Gen.  xv.  5,  and  compare  Gen.  xiii.  16,  Num.  xxiii.  10.  Isai. 
Ixv.  12.  He  not  only  counts  but  names  them,  calling  them  all  by 
name.     The  verse  is   borrowed  from  Isai.  xl.  26,  where  as  hera 


302  PSALM    CXLVII. 

God's  knowledge  and  control  of  nature  is  presented  as  a  soiirea 
of  consolation  to  his  people. 

5.  Great   is  our  Lord  and  of  much  'pou-er  ;  to  his  under  stasia, 
ing  there  is  no    iiumher^  i.  e.  it    is   incalculable   and  immense. 
Compare    Isai.  xl.  26,  28.      Of    much    fower^    or    abundant    iu 
strength. 

6.  Raising  ujp  the  humhle  (is)  Jehovah^  casting  down  the 
wicked  to  the  very  earth.  Sec  above,  Ps.  cxlvi.  8,  9.  To  the 
very  earthy  literally,  even  to  the  earth. 

7.  Respond  to  Jehovah  with  thanksgiving ;  make  music  to  our 
God  with  a  harp.  The  first  verb  has  its  proper  sense  of  answer- 
ing or  responding,  as  in  Ps.  cxix.  172.  It  may  be  doubted 
whether  it  ever  has  that  of  simply  singing.  Respond.,  i.  e.  to  his 
manifold  favours. 

8.  The  (one)  covering  the  heavens  with  clouds — the  (one J 
providing  for  the  earth  rain — the  (one)  causing  the  mountains  to 
put  forth  grass.  The  grass  as  produced  by  means  of  the  rain, 
and  the  rain  by  means  of  the  clouds.     See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  13. 

9.  Giving  to  the  cattle  its  food — to  the  young  ravens  which  cry. 
The  first  noun  may  also  be  translated  beast^  but  still  with  refer- 
ence to  domestic  animals,  with  which  is  contrasted  in  the  other 
clause  the  raven,  as  a  wild  bird,  unconnected  with  mankind,  and 
"as  some  suppose  with  allusion  to  its  harsh  and  piercing  cry.  See 
above,  on   Ps.  civ    21.  cxlv.  15,  and  compare  Job  xxxviii.  41. 

Young  ravens.,  literally,  sons  of  the  raven. 

10.  Not  in  the.  strength  oj  a  horse  does  he  delight ;  not  with 
the  legs  of  a  man  is  he  pleased.  The  best  explanation  of  the  sin- 
gular expressions  in  the  last  clause  is,  that  the  whole  verse  was 


PSALM    CXLVII.  303 

mtended  to  describe  horse  and  foot,  or  cavalry  and  infantry,  aa 
forming  the  military  strength  of  armies.  It  is  not  to  those  who 
trust  in  these  that  God  is  disposed  to  extend  favour,  nor  do  theso 
advantan^es  at  all  attract  him. 

11.  Pleased  (is)  Jehovah  tcith  those  fearing  him^  with  thosi 
hoping  for  his  mercy.  This  implies  the  want  of  secular  advan- 
tages, or  at  least  an  absence  of  reliance  on  them,  and  a  sense  of 
dependence  upon  God  alone. 

12.  Land^  oh  Jerusalem.,  Jehovah  !  Praise  thy  God.,  oh  Zio'ii  ! 
Here  begins  the  second  division  of  the  psalm,  in  which  the  good- 
ness of  God  to  his  people  is  the  theme,  and  the  people  itself  the 
object  of  address. 

13.  For  he  hath  strengthened  the  bars  of  thy  gates  ;  he  hath 
llessed  thy  sons  in  the  midst  of  thee.  Although  the  first  clause 
admits  of  a  general  figurative  application,  it  seems  to  contain  an 
evident  allusion  to  the  historical  occasion  of  the  psalm,  or  at  least 
to  favour  the  opinion,  that  it  was  designed  to  celebrate  the 
renewed  fortifications  of  the  Holy  City. 

14.  (Jt  is)  he  that  makes  thy  border  peace.,  (and  with)  the  fat 
of  wheat  he  satisfies  thee.  Jle  that  makes.,  literally,  the  (one) 
placing.  Border  is  put  for  all  that  it  contains  or  bounds,  thy 
territory  or  domain.  To  make  it  peace  is  to  make  it  peaceful  or 
to  give  it  peace.  See  Isai.  liv.  12.  With  the  last  clause  com- 
pare Ps.  Ixxxi.  17.  Deut.  xxxii.  14. 

15.  lie  that  sendeth  his  commandment  (wpon)  earth — very 
sioiftly  runs  his  word.  The  construction  is  like  that  in  the  pre- 
ceding verse.  He  that  sendcth.,ih.Q  (one)  sending.  Commandment., 
literally,  sayings  what  he  says.  Very  siviftly,  literally,  even  to 
twiftness.     The  authoritative  word  of  God  is  here  personified  as 


304  PSALM    CXLVII. 

liis  messenger  or  agent,  wliose  swift  running  signifies  the  prompt 
execution  of  the  divine  will. 

16.  He  that  gives  snoiv  like  wool,  hoar-frost  like  ashes 
sjjrinkles.  As  easily  as  a  man  scatters  wool  or  ashes,  does 
God  cover  the  earth  with  snow  or  frost.  The  selection  of 
phenomena  peculiar  to  winter  may  have  reference  to  the 
season  when  the  psalm  was  written  or  originally-  sung.  At 
the  same  time  they  were  probably  designed  to  serve  as 
emblems  of  the  long  distress,  to  which  the  Restoration  put 
an  end,  as  spring  does  to  winter.  The  comparisons  in  this 
verse  are  less  striking  to  us  than  to  the  people  of  countries 
where  snow  and  frost  are  less  familiar. 

17.  J3e  that  sendeth  his  ice  like  crumbs.  J^efore  his  cold 
who  can  stand?  The  second  noun  means  scraps  or  morsels, 
but  in  usage  is  specially  applied  to  food.  See  Gen.  xviii. 
5.  Judg.  xix.  5.  This  seems  to  be  descriptive  of  hail,  wdiich 
God  sends  upon  the  earth  as  easily  and  freely  as  man  scatters 
crumbs  or  throws  away  the  refuse  of  his  food.  The  allusion 
to  the  feeding  of  domesticated  animals,  which  some  assume, 
is  needless  though  admissible. 

IS.  He  sends  his  word  and  melts  them — he  makes  his  wind  Mow 
— waters  fiow.  Sends  his  word,  utters  his  command.  The 
plural  pronoun  (them)  refers  to  snow,  frost,  and  ice,  in  vs.  16,  17. 
The  winds  meant  are  the  warm  winds  of  the  spring,  attended  by 
a  general  thaw. 

19.  Declaring  his  word  to  Jacol,  his  statutes  and  his  jndg- 
men/s  to  Israel.  The  God  of  Nature  is  the  God  of  Revelation. 
He  who  thus  controls  the  elements  and  seasons  is  the  God  of 
Israel,  and  will  work  spiritual  changes  corresponding  to  thestj 
natural  phenomena,  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  whom  he  ha^ 
entrusted  with  the  revelation  of  his  will. 


PSALM    CXLVIII 


305 


20.  Jit  has  not  dove  so  to  zver.y  nation — and  (as  for)  judgments 
they  know  nothing  of  them.  This  revelation  to  Israel  is  peculiar 
and  exclusive.  Ecery  nation.,  and  by  implication,  any  one.  This 
is  indeed  the  only  form  in  which  that  idea  could  be  expressed  in 
Hebrew.  The  last  clause  declares  the  other  nations  ignorant  not 
only  of  his  laivs  ov  judgments.,  but  of  any  that  deserve  the  name« 


PSALM    CXLYIII. 

•  The  universe,  in  all  its  parts,  is  summoned  to  praise  God  as  its 
maker,  and  as  infinitely  worthy  of  its  adoration.  The  invitation 
is  addressed,  in  the  first  instance,  to  heaven  and  its  inhabitants, 
exhorting  them  to  praise  God  as  their  maker  and  preserver, 
vs.  I — 6.  It  is  then  addressed  to  the  earth  and  its  inhabitants, 
exhorting  them  to  praise  him  for  his  infinite  perfection,  as  dis- 
played in  his  works,  but  especially  in  his  dealings  with  his  chosen 
people,  vs.  7 — 14.  Even  the  most  skeptical  critics  are  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  that  this  psalm  and  the  two  which  follow 
are  admirably  suited  to  their  pur- 


1.  Hallelujah  !  Praise  ye  Jehovah  from  the  heavens  !  Praise 
him  in  the  heights  !  This  verse  designates  the  place,  or  part  of 
the  creation,  from  which  the  praise  is  to  proceed.  Jlcights.,  or 
high -places,  is  a  simple  equivalent  to  heavens.,  the  plural  form  of 
which  it  takes  by  assiiiiilation.  Compare  the  singular  in  Ps. 
xviii.  17  (16.)  The  preposition  frovi  denotes  the  direction  of 
the  sound,  the  preposition  in  the  place  where  it  is  uttered. 

2.  Praise  ye  hi. a.,  all  his  angels  !  Praise  v  e  him..,  all  his  host% 


306  PSALM    CXL  VI 1 1. 

As  this  last  exj)ression  is  applied  both  to  the  angels  and  the 
heavenly  bodies,  it  here  affords  a  natural  transition  from  the  one 
to  th^  other.     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxiv^.  10.  xxix.  1.  ciii.  21. 

3.  Praise  ye  him^  sun  and  moon  !  Praise  him^  all  ye  stars  ^''j 
light  !  This  is  a  specification  of  the  general  term,  his  hosh^  in 
^.  2.  Stars  of  light  is  a  beautiful  poetical  expression  for  bright 
or  shining  stars. 

4.  Praise  him,  ye  heavens  of  heavens,  and  ye  waters  which  are 
above  the  heavens  !  The  object  of  addi-ess  in  the  first  clause  is  the 
highest  heaven,  the  heaven  of  that  which  is  heaven  to  us.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  Ixfiii.  34  (33),  and  compare  Deut.  x.  14.  1  Kings 
viii.  27.  2  Cor.  xii.  2.  The  waters  meant  are  the  watery  clouds 
above  the  lower  heavens,  as  in  Gen.  i.  7.  See-  above,  on 
Ps.  civ.  3 

5.  Let  them  praise  the  name  of  Jehovah,  for  he  commanded  and 
they  -were  created.  The  direct  invitation  to  the  heavens  is  followed 
by  a  statement  of  the  reason  why  they  should  com. ply  with  itj  ex- 
pressed in  the  third  person,  as  if  addressed  to  others.  The  pro- 
noun Jie  is  emphatic.  (It  was)  he  (that)  commanded  (and  no 
other.)     See  above,  on  Ps.  xxxiii.  9,  and  compare  Gen.  i.  3. 

6.  And  made  them  stand  to  'perpetuity  and  eternity  ;  a  limit  he 
gave  (them)  and  they  ca,nnot  pass  (it.)  The  immutability 
ascribed  to  the  frame  of  nature,  Ps.  Ixxii.  5.  Ixxxix.  3,  37  (2,  36), 
-is  not  absolute  but  relative  to  the  will  of  the  creator.  All  that  is 
required  by  the  context  in  such  cases  is,  that  they  cannot  change 
in  opposition  to  his  will  or  independently  of  it.  See  Ps.  cii.  27. 
The  first  word  in  the  second  clause  is  here  used  in  its  primary 
sense  of  a  definite  boundary  or  limit,  from  which  may  be  readily 
deduced  the  usual  one  of  statute  or  permanent  enactment.  See 
ubove,  on  Ps.  ii.  7.     As  the  last  verb  is  in  the  singular  number. 


PSALM    CXL  VI II.  307 

Hib  most  obvious  construction  is  the  one  giren  in  the  English 
Bible,  a  decree  which  shall  not  pass.  Compare  Matth.  v.  18 
But  the  highest  authorities  appear  to  be  agreed  that  the  analog;^ 
of  Job  xiv.  5.  Ps.  civ.  9.  Jer.  v.  22,  requires  the  verb  to  be  taken 
in  the  sense  of  transcending  or  transgressing,  and  construed  with 
the  aggregate  of  the  heavenly  bodies. 

7.  Praise  Jehovah  from  the  earthy  ye  dragons  and  all  depths  . 
Here  begins  the  second  part,  in  which  the  address  is  to  the  earth 
and  its  inhabitants.  From  the  earth  is  in  antithesis  to  from  the 
heavens  in  v.  1.  Earth  here  includes  land  and  water;  hence  the 
last  clause  makes  exclusive  mention  of  the  latter,  as  the  word 
translated  dragons  is  applied  to  huge  aquatic  animals,  (Ps.  Ixxiv. 
13),  and  the  one  translated  depths  to  large  bodies  of  water 
f  Ps.  xxxiii.  7.)  As  the  first,  however,  sometimes  means  serpents 
fPs.  xci.  13 j,  it  may  here  be  the  connecting  link  between  land 
and  water. 

8.  Fire  and  hail,  snoio  and  vapour^  stormy  wind  doing  his 
word.  The  address  here  passes  to  the  inanimate  and  unconscious 
agencies  of  nature.  Fire  and  hail,  as  in  Ps.  cv.  32.  The  fire 
meant  is  commonly  supposed  to  be  lightning  ;  but  according  to 
Hengstenberg  the  word  is  to  be  taken  in  its  ordinary  sense  and 
is  separated  from  its  natural  attendant  smoke  (for  such  is  the 
meaning  of  the  Hebrew  word  elsewhere,  e.  g.  Ps.  cxix.  83J  only 
for  the  purpose  of  contrasting  hot  and  cold,  white  and  black, 
which  seems  a  little  fanciful  and  far-fetched.  The  storm-wind 
(or  stormy  wind)  is  mentioned  as  a  natural  agent  the  least  likely 
to  be  under  control,  and  it  is  expressly  described  as  doing  Grod's 
word,  i.  e.  executing  his  command.  See  above,  on  Ps.  ciii.  20. 
civ.  4. 

9.  The  mountains  and  all  hills,  fruit-trees  and  all  cedars.  No! 
fruiiful  trees,  as  distinguished  from  barren  trees,  but  fruit-ireef 


308  PSALM    CXLVIII. 

(literally,  tree  of  fruit)  ^  as  distinguished  from  forest  trees,  here 
represented  by  the  cedar,  which  is  usually  spoken  of  in  sciipturo 
as  the  noblest  species,  and  therefore  called  the  cedar  of  God^  Ps 
Ixxx.  11  (10.) 

10.  The  wild  (beast)  and  all  cattle^  creeping  thing  and  flying 
^owl.  The  contrast  in  the  first  clause  is  analogous  to  that  between 
fruit-trees  and  cedars  in  v.  9.  The  Hebrew  word  (':J?2l)  tiansla- 
ted  creeping  thivg  has  no  exact  equivalent  in  English.  It  seems 
strictly  to  denote  animal  or  vital  motion,  or  as  a  concrete  terra 
whatever  so  moves,  and  is  even  applied  to  aquatic  animals. 
Ps.  civ.  25.  ]iut  when  used  distinctively,  it  denotes  the  smaller 
classes  of  terrestrial  animals,  including  insects,  reptiles,  and  the 
smallest  quadrupeds.  It  is  here  added  simply  to  complete  the 
expression  of  the  general  idea,  all  animals  whatever.  Flying 
fowl^  literally,  lird  of  wing.  The  first  of  the  Hebrew  words  is 
specially  applied  to  the  smaller  birds,  and  sometimes  specifically 
to  the  sparrow.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xi.  1.  Ixxxiv.  4  (3.)  civ.  17. 
cxxiv.  7.  This  and  the  preceding  item  in  the  catalogue,  suggest- 
ing the  idea  of  the  smallest  animals,  may  possibly  have  been  used 
to  denote  the  universality  of  the  call  here  made  upon  all  creatures, 
from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest,  to  praise  God  their  maker. 

11.  Kings  of  the  earth  and  all  nations ^  chiefs  and  all  judges  of 
the  earth.  He  here  passes  from  the  lower  animals  to  man.  Kings 
and  the  nations  whom  they  represent.  Princes  is  not  an  exact 
translation  of  the  Hebrew  (s^"ib),  which  is  especially,  though  not 

.  exclusively,  applied  to   military  leaders  of  various  rank,  and  may 
therefore  best  be  represented  by  the  English  ^Jiiefs  or  chieftains 

12.  Young  men  and  also  maidens,  old  men  with  children.  The 
obvious  meaning  of  this  verse  is,  all  men,  without  distinction  of 
Bex  or  age.  There  is  no  need,  therefore,  of  refining  on  the 
general  particulars,  or  undertaking  to  explain  why  old  men  an  J 


PSALM    CXLVIIl.  30S 

young  men  are  both  mentioned,  since  neither  of  them  could  have 
been  omitted  without  failing  to  accomplish  the  design  of  the  enu- 
meration. For  the  etymology  and  primary  meaning  of  the  first 
word  in  Hebrew,  see  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxviii.  63,  where  it  stands  in 
precisely  the  same  combination.  The  two  nouns  in  the  last 
clause  may  be  considered  as  of  common  gender. 

13.  Let  (all  these)  praise  the  name  of  Jehovah^  for  exalted  is 
his  name  alone^  his  glory  is  above  earth  and  heaven.  The 
mention  of  eaith  and  heaven  shows  that  the  first  verb  relates  not 
merely  to  that  wliich  immediately  precedes,  but  to  the  whole 
enumeration  of  God's  creatures  with  which  the  psalm  is  occupied. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  civ.  27.  Exalted  is  his  name^^as  in  Isai.  xii.  4. 
His  glory  or  7)iajesiy^  a  Hebrew  word  especially  applied  to  royal 
dignity.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxi.  6  (5.)  xlv.  4  (3.)  xcvi.  6.  civ.  1. 
cxi.  3.  Above  earth  and  heaven.,  i.  e,  superior  to  their  mere 
material  splendor,  or  on  earth  and  heaven.,  i.  e.  placed  upon  them 
as  a  crown.     See  above,  on  Ps.  viii.  2  (1.)  Ivii.  6  (5.) 

14.  And  he  has  raised  up  a  horn  for  his  people — praise  for 
all  his  saints — for  the  children  of  Israel — a  people  near  to  him. 
Hallelujah  !  While  all  the  creatures  before  mentioned  have 
abundant  cause  to  praise  God  for  his  infinite  perfection  and  his 
goodness  to  themselves,  a  peculiar  obligation  is  incumbent  on  his 
people  ;  first,  for  his  distinguishing  favour  through  all  periods  of 
their  history  ;  and  then,  for  a  special  mercy  recently  experienced, 
namely,  the  restoration  from  captivity,  now  completed  by  the 
renewal  of  the  temple  and  the  reconstruction  of  the  city  walls. 
This  restoration  is  described,  by  a  favourite  Davidic  figure,  as 
exalting  or  lifting  up  the  horn  of  Israel.  See  above,  on  Ps. 
ixxv.  6,  7  (5,  6.)  xcii.  11  (10.)  The  previous  condition  of  the 
chosen  people  might  be  well  represented  by  the  opposite  figure, 
used  in  Job  xvi.  15.  Raised  a  horn  fo"  his  people  seems  to  De 
only  another  way  of  saying  raised  the  horn  of  his  people.     The 


310  PSALM    CXLIX. 

first  form  of  expression  may  have  been  here  used  for  the  purj-,ose 
of  assimilating  this  clause  to  the  next,  where  'praise  is  still  depend 
ent  on  the  verb  at  the  beginning,  and  to  raise  up  praise  for  his 
people  is  to  give  them  fresh  occasion  of  still  higher  praise  than 
they  had  ever  yet  been  called  to  utter.  The  ancient  church  is 
here  described  in  a  fourfold  manner  ;  first,  simply  as  his  people  ; 
then,  as  his  saints  or  gracious  ones,  the  objects  of  his  mercy  and 
the  subjects  of  his  grace  ;  then,  by  their  national  title,  as  the  sons 
('or  descendants)  of  Israel ;  and  lastly  as  the  people  near  him,  i.  e 
nearer  to  him  than  all  others,  sustaining  a  more  intimate  relation 
to  him.  The  same  expression  which  is  elsewhere  applied  to  the 
priests  (Lev.  x.  3.  Ezek.  xlii.  13)  is  here  applied  to  Israel  as  "y 
kingdom  of  priests  and  a  holy  nation"  (Ex.  xix.  Q.) 


PSALM     CXLIX. 


This  may  be  regarded  as  the  special  song  of  praise  required  of 
Israel  at  the  close  of  the  preceding  psalm  ;  first,  on  account  of 
mercies  already  experienced  by  the  chosen  people,  vs.  1 — 5,  and 
then,  in  the  hope  of  future  triumphs  over  all  heathen  and  hostile 
powers,  vs.  6 — 9.  Nothing  could  well  be  more  appropriate  to 
the  stale  of  things  under  Nehemiah,  when  the  city  and  nation 
had  again  been  put  into  a  posture  of  defence  and  resistance. 

L  Hallelujah  !  Sing  unto  Jehovah  a  new  $ong,  his  praise  ir* 
the  congregation  of  saints.  Compare  Ps.  xl.  4  (3.)  xcvi.  J .  cxi.  1 . 
cxlviii.  14,  to  which  last  there  is  an  obvious  allusion,  connecting 
ike  two  psalms  in  the  closest  manner. 

2.  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  his  Maker  !     Let  the  soms  of  Zion  triumph 


PSALM    CXLIX.  31 J 

in  thtir  King  !  Not  merely  the  creator  of  individuals,  but  of  the 
church  and  nation  as  such,  and  that  not  only  at  first,  but  by  a  kind 
of  new  creation,  in  the  restoration  of  the  people  from  captivity. 
They  are  summoned  to  rejoice  in  him,  not  only  as  their  foundei 
and  restorer  but  their  sovereign.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xcv.  6.  c.  3 
cxlv.  1,  and  compare  Isai.  xliii.  1.  xliv.  2.  xlv.  13. 

3.  Let  tlum  'praise  his  name  in  the  dance  ;  with  timhrel  and  harp 
let  them  play  (or  make  music)  to  him.  The  usual  modes  of  ex- 
pressing joy  are  here  combined.  As  to  the  dance,  see  above,  on 
Ps.  XXX    12  (11.) 

4.  For  Jehovah  is  pleased  with  his  people ;  he  heautijies  the 
hv-mhle  with  salvation.  The  first  clause  suggests  the  idea  of  a 
previous  alienation  and  of  his  having  been  appeased  or  reconciled. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixxxv.  2(1.)  The  verb  is  one  applied  in  the 
Law  to  God's  acceptance  of  the  sacrifices,  and  might  therefore 
awaken  here  associations  with  atonement  and  forgiveness.  See 
above,  on  Ps.  xix.  15  (14.)  li.  22  (20.)  The  verb  occurs  in  iti 
general  sense  of  bemg  pleased  or  satisfied,  Ps.  cxlvii.  10,  11 
With  the  last  clause  compare  Isai.  Ixi.  3. 

5.  Let  the  saints  exult  in  glory ;  let  them  sing  (for  joy)  upon 
their  beds.  The  word  translated  saints  is  the  same  that  occurs  in 
Ps.  cxlviii.  14,  and  is  there  explained.  Li  glory  (or  honour)^  i.  e. 
the  fflorious  or  honourable  state  into  which  Jehovah  has  now 
brought  them.  The  glory  is  not  that  which  belongs  to  God, 
Ps.  xxix.  9.  xevi.  7,  but  that  which  he  bestows,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  12 
(11.)  Ixxxv.  10  (9.)  The  very  phrase,  i/i  honour,  occurs  above, 
Ps.  cxii.  9.  Sing  or  shnut^  as  audible  expressions  of  strong  feel- 
ing, and  especially  of  joy.  On  their  beds,  where  they  have  been 
accustomed  to  lament  their  previous  degradation,  or  what  Nche- 
miah  calls  their  "  affliction  and  reproach."  See  Neh.  i.  3 
Ui.  36  (W.  4.) 


312  PSALM    CXLIX. 

6.  Praises  of  God  in  their  throaty  and  a  tivo-edged  sword  w 
their  haVid.  A  striking  coincidence  has  been  observed  between 
this  verse  and  Neb.  iv.  11,  12  (17,  IS.)  As  then  thej  worked 
with  one  band  and  brandished  the  sword  with  the  other,  so  now 
they  might  be  said  at  the  same  time  to  praise  God  and  defy  their 
enemies.  This  singular  mixture  of  devotional  and  martial  spirit 
is  characteristic  of  the  psahii  and  furnishes  a  valuable  index  to  the 
date  of  composition.  The  conclusion  thus  reached  is  corroborated 
by  the  account  of  the  military  and  religious  pomp,  with  which  the 
walls  were  dedicated,  as  described  by  Nehemiah  (xii.  31 — 47.) 

7.  To  execute  vengeance  among  the  nations^  pimishmenfs  among 
the  peoples.  Not  their  own  vengeance,  but  that  of  God,  to  whom 
alone  it  appertains.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xviii.  48  (47.)  xciv.  l,and 
compare  Deut.  xxxii.  35.  Rom.  xii.  19.  Heb.  x.  30.  This  is  really 
nothing  more  than  a  prediction,  that  God  would  use  his  peoj  \e  as 
his  instruments  in  punishing  the  nations  by  whom  they  had  tLsm- 
selves  been  persecuted  and  oppressed.  This  was  partially  ful- 
filled in  the  successes  of  the  Maccabees,  but  under  a  new  and 
unexpected  form,  in  the  spiritual  triumphs  of  the  true  religion, 
and  its  actual  or  prospective  subjugation  of  the  world. 

8.  To  hind  their  Idngs  unth  chains^  their  noUes  with  fetters  of 
iron.  The  word  translated  nobles  is  properly  a  participle,  mean- 
ing honoured  (ones.)  The  verse  simply  carries  out  the  idea  of  the 
one  before  it,  that  of  the  subjugation  of  the  gentiles  by  the  true 
religion.  The  objection  to  this,  as  a  spiritualizing  explanation  of 
the  text,  springs  from  a  narrow  and  erroneous  view  of  the  very 
Old  for  v/hich  Israel  existed  as  a  nation.  Those  promises  to  Is- 
rael, which  are  not  still  available  for  us,  were  but  of  temporary 
l)C-il  value. 

9.  To  execute  among  them  the  judgment  written.  An  honour  is 
that  for  all  his  saints.     This  last  phrase  occurs  also  at  the  close  of 


PSALM    CL.  313 

th?  preceding  psalm  (cxlviii.  14).  As  written  may  mean  written 
in  the  book  of  God's  decrees,  there  is  no  need  of  supposing  a  refer- 
ence to  any  part  of  scripture.  If  there  be  such  reference,  how- 
ever, it  is  no  doubt  to  the  threatening  in  Deut.  xxxii.  41 — 43.  To 
act  as  God's  mstruinents  in  this  great  judicial  process,  so  far  from 
being  a  disgrace  or  hardship,  is  an  honour  reserved  for  all  the  ob- 
jects of  his  mercy  and  subjects  of  his  grace.  The  psalm  ends  as 
it  began,  with  Halldiijah! 


P  S  A  L  ]\I    C  L . 

This  is  the  closing  Hallelujah  or  Doxology,  which  marks  the 
conclusion  of  the  last  series  or  cycle  (Ps.  cxlvii — cl),  of  the 
Fifth  Book  (Ps.  cvii — cl),  and  of  the  whole  Psalter.  In  form 
and  structure  it  is  perfectly  simple,  merely  reciting,  in  an  ani- 
mated manner,  the  place  (v.  1),  the  theme  (v.  2),  the  mod€> 
(vs.  3 — 5),  and  the  extent  (v.  6)  of  the  praise  due  to  Jehovah. 

1.  Hallelujah!  Praise  God  in  his  sanctuary  !  Praise  him  in 
the  firmament  of  his  poiver !  The  essential  meaning  of  the  verse 
is,  praise  him  both  in  earth  and  heaven.  The  particulars  detailed 
in  Ps.  cxlviii  are  here  condensed  into  a  pregnant  summary.  The 
sanctuary  is  the  earthly  one,  and  as  such  stands  opposed  to  the 
fi-rmament  or  heaven,  called  the  firmament  of  his  power,  as  being 
one  of  the  most  glorious  proofs  and  products  of  its  exercise,  and 
still  the  scene  of  its  most  striking  exhibitions.  The  phrase  is  to 
be  understood  as  comprehending  the  hosts  of  heaven,  both  inani- 
mate and  living,  both  material  and  spiritual.      The  parallelism  is 


314  PSALM    CL. 

rendered  siiiJ  more  perfect  by  the  oorrespondence  between  powei 
in  the  last  clause  and  (^K)  the  divine  name  in  the  first. 

2.  Praisn  him  for  hii>  mighty  ads  !  Praise  him  according  to 
his  pknitufle  of  greatness  !  His  mighty  acts^  literally^  his  mights 
or  powers.  See  above,  on  Ps.  cxlv.  4.  Far,  literally,  i7i  them, 
i.  e.  praise  him  as  exhibited  and  viewed  in  these.  The  corres- 
ponding particle  means  like,  in  accordance  with,  in  proportion  to, 
in  a  manner  worthy  of  his  greatness.  The  last  phrase  in  He- 
brew is  peculiarly  expressive,  consisting  of  the  two  strongest 
terms  denoting  magnitude,  the  abstract  forms  of  ■much  and  grerd, 
which  might  be  rendered,  if  our  usage  suffered  it,  muchness  of 
greatness. 

3.  Praise  him  with  blast  of  truw.pct !  Praise  him.  with  harjp 
and  lyre  !  Here  begins  an  enumeration  of  the  instruments  em- 
ployed in  public  worship,  and  therefore  necessarily  associated 
with  the  idea  of  divine  praise.  The  trumpet  was  used  to  assem- 
ble the  people,  and  would  therefore  excite  many  of  the  same  asso- 
ciations with  our  church-bells.  The  other  instruments  were  used 
as  actual  accompaniments  of  the  psalms  performed  in  public 
worship. 

4.  Praise  him.  loilh  timbrel  and  dance  !  Praise  him  with  strings 
and  pipe !  The  three  great  classes  of  instruments  are  here  dis- 
tinctly mentioned,  namely,  wind,  stringed,  and  pulsatile.  The 
last,  represented  by  the  drum  or  timbrel,  still  called  by  a  kindred 
name  in  Arabic,  is  here  accompanied  by  its  inseparable  adjunct 
dajxing^  which  might  seem  misplaced  in  a  list  of  instruments, 
and  those  employed  in  sacred  music,  but  for  the  peculiar  usages 
and  notions  of  the  ancient  Hebrews,  with  respect  to  this  externa] 
sign  of  joy.  See  above,  on  Ps.  xxx.  12  (11.)  cxlix.  3.  Tbo 
comuc    version  of  the  last  word  (organ)  is  derived  through  the 


PSALM    CL.  315 

\^ulgate  from  the  Soptuagint,  where  it  denotes  a  sj'-stoin  or  com- 
bination  of  pipes.  The  Hebrew  word,  according  to  the  Jewish 
tradition,  means  a  simple  pipe,  and  is  so  rendered  in  the  Prayer 
Book  version.  It  here  represents  the  whole  class  of  wind- 
instruments.  See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  26  (25),  and  compare 
2  Sam.  vi.  5. 

5.  Praise  him  with  cymbals  of  loud  sound  !  Praise  him  loith 
cymbals  of  joyful  noise  !  The  donnnant  idea,  that  of  audibly 
expressed  joy,  is  sustained  to  the  xast,  where  the  cymbals  are 
jnentioned  in  both  clauses,  as  an  instrument  peculiarly  appro- 
priated to  occasions  of  unusual  rejoicing.  See  2  Sam.  vi.  5. 
Ezr.  iii.  10.  Neh.  xii.  27.  The  effect  is  still  further  heightened 
by  the  qualifying  epithets,  the  first  of  which  strictly  denotes 
hearing  or  the  thing  heard,  i.  e.  sound,  and  here  by  implication, 
loud  sound.  To  this  idea  the  parallel  term  adds  that  of  joyful 
sound,  to  which  it  is  constantly  applied  in  usage.  See  above, 
on  Ps.  xxvii.  6.  Ixxxix.  16  (^15),  and  compare  Num.  xxiii.  21. 
The  distinction,  here  assumea  oy  some  interpreters,  between 
cymbals  of  a  larger  and  a  smaller  size,  is  wholly  unnecessary. 

6.  Let  all  breath  praise  Jah !  Hallelujah  !  The  very  am 
biguity  of  all  breath  gives  extraordinary  richness  of  mea^ning  to 
this  closing  sentence.  From  the  simple  idea  of  wind  instruments, 
mentioned  in  the  context,  it  leads  us,  by  a  beautiful  transition,  to 
that  of  vocal,  articulate,  intelligent  praise,  uttered  by  the  breath 
of  living  men,  as  distinguished  from  mere  lifeless  instruments. 
See  above,  on  Ps.  Ixviii.  26  (25.)  Then  lastly,  by  a  natural 
association,  we  ascend  to  the  idea  express^-^d  in  the  common  ver- 
sion, every  thing  that  hath  breathy  not  merely  all  that  lives,  but  all 
that  has  a  voice  to  praise  G^d.  There  is  nothing  in  the  Psalter 
move  majestic  or  more  beautiful  than  this  brief  but  most  signifi- 
cant finale  J   in  which   solemnity  of  tone  predominates,  without 


316  rSAL^    C?t», 

bowever  in  the  least  distur'bino;  toe  exhilaration  which  the  close 
of  the  Psalter  seems  intended  to  produce,  as  if  in  emblematical 
allusion  to  tlie  triumph  which  awaits  the  church  and  all  its 
members,  when  through  much   tribulation   thoy  shall   enter  ittc 


Tsra  «w-Q, 


BS1430.A37618731 

The  Psalms  translated  and  explained 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00043  8954 
Date  Due 


i 


